


Slighting The Reaper II: The Onslaught Continues

by Rhigama



Series: Slighting The Reaper [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Adult Situations, Dark, Explicit Language, Inappropriate Humor, MINIMAL Sasuke x Naruto, Multi, Reader Insert, Torture, some sexual content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2016-08-26
Packaged: 2018-03-24 21:19:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 15
Words: 95,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3784609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhigama/pseuds/Rhigama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Turmoil grips the world, Nagato Pein's machinations will soon come to fruition. But now you have been pushed too far.<br/>You are done with being tested. You are DONE with having your strings pulled.</p><p>It is time to forge your own path, and there will be no quarter for those who get in your way.</p><p> </p><p>Pairing: Reader x Itachi</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Her House, She Waits Dreaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dreams within dreams,  
> Meanings within meanings,  
> Sight without seeing,  
> A nightmare without being.  
> In her house, she waits dreaming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhigama: -ahem- Hello everyone. Well, it’s been a long haul with StR, it was rated as one of the longest stories on the website it used to be on (some of you know the one I mean) xD. Damn!! And I enjoyed every moment of writing it and loved all the wonderful feedback as well. Again, I thank you for your support, everyone, I don’t know how long I would have been motivated to write this without you! And writing does the heart good. ^^
> 
> And so, without further ado, I am pleased to present the sequel to Slighting the Reaper…The Onslaught Continues.
> 
> As always, I do not own Naruto, however I do own the plot of my fanfic and so on.
> 
> *PS: Why, yes! The first chapter title is a reference to H.P. Lovecraft. <3 
> 
> “I can’t but agree. My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work!” – Robert Downey Jr., in ‘Sherlock Holmes’.

In Her House, She Waits Dreaming

 

_**It has been months since the death of Uchiha Madara…nearly a year now. While his passing was not the trigger; the world has been in ferment ever since.** _

_**Deep within the borders of the Village Hidden in the Rain; Nagato Pein would seek to ‘guide’ the world with one hand and with the other, intends to supplant the leaders of the ninja councils directly into chaos. Should he succeed; the ensuing madness would serve as the perfect smokescreen for him to direct events in his favor.** _

_**As such, a gradual descent into the maw of widespread terror has begun. While Nagato Pein continues his practices of spreading fear and pain; dissention has already cast its blackened shadow over all the lands since the taking of the Tailed Demons. Within the innermost sanctum of each ninja council there have been whispers wrought in belligerent intent time and time again, now more so than ever.** _

_**Now is when Akatsuki’s work has paid off the most. The Tailed Beasts will take their places as weapons once again; and now, a conflagration of war is about to ignite across the oily residue of fear.** _

_**While most nations hasten to attempt formation of treaties and preemptive ceasefires, it may not be enough to stanch the outcome of Nagato Pein’s plans. This is exactly what the self-proclaimed God has been angling for.** _

_**When the world is stricken with agony and the most profound form of terror, he has sworn that he will guide them into an era of peace so that there will be no war; and their fright will act as a cage against further conflict.** _

_**This may seem a strange manner in which to enact any form of peace; however it is the path he chose to reach his goal of a world without war…an ideal he has strained towards ever since his peril-fraught upbringing.** _

_**Twisted as this man is, Nagato Pein did elect to take on one apprentice. One person to follow in his path; and that woman is you, Gyaku Saiya. You are his fail safe. If Konan is his archangel, then you would be the Devil; the one whose power causes so many to tremble in fear and disgust.** _

_**However some things are not meant to be. And while Nagato Pein intended for you, Saiya, to walk in his footsteps; you have come to develop an agenda of your own, like any ‘devil’ would. Except you have no illusions of grandeur in the same form as your sensei. Not yet anyway.** _

_**As events have transpired, you understand that rather than adopting your sensei’s ninja way; you have become more of an instrument than anything else. And furthermore; it is hard to follow a ninja way that you never totally understood in the first place. How could a child ever comprehend what she was agreeing to so long ago?** _

_**Although now you are older and more experienced. Thus recently, you discovered two very critical things. The first of which was that you could look into Uchiha Itachi’s Sharingan and fear nothing; knowing that he was with you all the way, and you were with him equally. There was mutual respect there.** _

_**The second finding, however, is that God bleeds human blood.** _

_**There are new opportunities while the civilized world finds itself shifting into a new regime. For the first time in years you have been assailed with the concept of forging ahead without your teacher’s guidance. Your sensei with his god-complex has unwittingly given you too much room to move and think on your own, and now, amidst the insanity birthing a new world disorder, you, Gyaku Saiya, are about to be freed from the proverbial shackles that bound you.** _

_****_

_With You…_

 

An unnatural stillness had overtaken the world and awoken you from your slumber. Upon twisting in place to see the alarm clock, which read 3:09 AM, it was obvious that this was no hour to be awake unless a mission was involved. However you had to halt any attempts to track Yakushi Kabuto down after four false leads, so you chose to stay back lately to rest and regroup. So here you were, at home, _monumentally_ at a lack of things to do except live life. Rather like how anybody does.

Itachi shifted slightly in place beside you, and you looked down at him. His breathing was deep, even, and slow, eyelids twitching under the weight of luxurious sleep. At least he was undisturbed, but you were wide awake. It was silent out; meaning that the rain had been stopped for one reason or another. Since you had begun living in Amegakure, you realized how rare that was and why it was normally a cause for alarm here. The rain was a sanctuary in this place. It let the locals know that everything was alright and that there was nothing to fear. How nice it must be for them to finally exist without what the rest of the world had recently come to know. The terror of needing a knife under your pillow or between your mattress and box spring was new to many people. 

In many societies of ninja, it was too prevalent a notion that you can never honestly know who or what stalks the shadows. And once again, humanity began to fear the dark.

You peeled your naked form away from the warmth of bed linens and Itachi’s body, washed up, dressed, and stole outside to the roof. The air was crisp and clean, and the city was still very much slicked with moisture. But the rain had indeed failed, and up above, those clouds formed by Pein’s jutsu diminished into broken, thin wisps. The moon was three-quarters full, and the stars glimmered into sight from behind the deadening clouds. You turned your face towards a moderate southerly breeze, hair still damp, and concentrated on expanding your awareness to see if you could detect why he halted the rain. 

Shortly thereafter you sensed Konan’s energy spread everywhere in small bits and pieces. It meant that she was separated into many origami figurines; however this only posed the initial question. You walked towards the edge of the roof and looked down into the street, moonlight at your back. You saw your own shadow cast down onto the ground, and saw…but did not _sense_ …a second figure. You turned to see none other than the person you had been searching for.

Yakushi Kabuto.

Though it did bother you that you saw him before you detected his chakra, you weren’t surprised either. He’s a skilled medic, one of the best. And medics must excel at chakra regulation or else they aren’t very useful in the long run. 

“You’ve been hunting me.” Kabuto began almost softly, his eyes hidden behind round glasses which reflected moonlight. “Why?”

“I have questions.”

“Are they your own questions, or that of your master?”

Your didn't bat an eye, opting to rob him of the satisfaction. “He would have you killed for what you’ve done. Personally, I think you’re best left alive. Or all that information will go to waste, and that _would_ be a shame.”

He smirked and chuckled lowly. “Ah, indeed? I expected as much from you, Gyaku Saiya. After all, there aren’t many like either of us.”

“Did you only come here to ask me why I’ve been tracking you?”

“No.” He instantly became more serious, though when speaking kept his voice modulated. With Konan scattered to the four winds, it wasn't smart to talk loudly or he was liable to get caught. “I haven’t long, so pay attention.”

You inclined your chin, eyes upon him. Until perhaps twenty minutes ago no one had detected this man, short of his entry into Amegakure. That or he set up a diversion so he had more time to go about his business. Although now you wondered if Kabuto had been here all along, manipulating those leads that brought you so far away on four separate occasions. They never did find him. It was possible that someone had concealed him here, or he did what he could on his own. The best place to hide can be, in all actuality, right under your enemy’s nose.

Having taken your silence as consent, Kabuto pressed on. “You do realize that Pein intends to use you, right?”

 _'Pein intends to use **everyone.'**_ You thought, but that was another can of worms. Might as well milk as much info out of him as possible. “And you know this…how?”

“Because I’ve been here all along, monitoring the situation. That’s why he never could find me after what I did.”

“And why did you masquerade as Madara to injure Pein’s vessels?” You ground out, a touch angrily.

“It _worked_ , didn’t it? I tricked him into having Uchiha Madara killed ahead of schedule, and I got to see part of what you're capable of. I couldn’t have repaired them much better myself.”

You nearly snarled in frustration. “First of all, I fail to see how your actions led to his early demise based on _timing_ alone. Secondly, what the fuck is with people and TESTING me? I have nothing to prove to you!”

“Which is why I had to resort to different means in order to see for myself.”

“…” Much as you loathed to admit it, the guy had a point.

“In any case Saiya, he intends to use you one way or another. Pein himself might not know it yet but you’ve likely reached certain realizations on your own. And that’s because you have seen something others haven't when you healed Nagato Pein’s bodies. You've figured out what no one else has yet.”

“What’s it mean to _you_ anyway? Why should I take anything you say seriously if all you are is one more asshole trying to use me?”

“Because I have information that you want. And I _do_ mean more than the jutsu you’re after. I know why Pein is going to go after you the second he realizes a few more things on his own.”

“And again I must ask. Why do I have _any_ reason to believe a word you say?” You snapped out bitterly. What did he take you for, anyway? You weren’t born yesterday, and there was always the possibility that he was one more liar out for his own betterment. Actually, that was a certainty with Kabuto.

Kabuto adjusted his glasses by pressing a middle finger to their metal bridge across his nose, the round lenses flashing brighter. “That’s up to you to decide. In the meantime, I suggest that you keep your eyes and ears open. I will contact you again in the future.” And with that, he blurred out of sight. Then you saw that Itachi was standing but a few yards behind Kabuto and your upset façade dropped, embarrassed at being caught speaking with the ‘enemy’. “Itachi? How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough to realize that he isn’t lying.”

“…What?”

“Yakushi is known to be a good liar, however even he knows when to quit. When it comes to a person who does not suffer fools, he understands how to treat them. Especially if he wants something from you."

“So basically he put a flea in my ear in hopes that I’ll follow through.”

“There's that. However something _is_ off about the situation.” 

" No kidding. I was born at night, but it wasn't last night...there's plenty of things about this that aren't right." You agreed and turned your head when you heard a person land on the roof. It turned out to be Sasori, and he was not alone. A large bird bearing a blonde rider circled once and landed between you and Itachi.

“What are you two doing up?” You asked, trying to be calm. Truthfully it was hard to keep your temper in check at this hour after Kabuto clipped a nerve.

“Just got in from a mission, un.” Deidara responded. He looked like he’d been roughed up. His cloak was torn and bloodstained, and the scent of clay was more prevalent than usual. Sasori, on the other hand, looked like he got trapped in a burning house and escaped just in time. His cloak was singed and blood oozed from ragged, burnt holes in his clothing. He was definitely worse for wear than Deidara.

“What mission would that be?”

“Infiltrate the Yoriwara compound inside the Hidden Cloud.” Sasori supplied abruptly.

“Didn’t work so well, hn.”

“Evidently. Looks like they fucked up your whole night real good.” You drawled.

“We were hoping you’d be up actually.” Sasori said. He didn’t need to elaborate, considering how banged-up they were, and you were well capable of putting two-and-two together. “Pfft, why? There’s a hospital, and a Medic Facility. Either of them would do for such injuries.”

To this you were given a flat stare from both of them. “Are you kidding me? Those medics aren’t worth _shit_ , hnn!”

“Oh you’re being lazy then. It’s only a short way away.” You responded dryly.

“Actually they don’t measure up at all.” Sasori deadpanned. 

You sighed. At this early hour, the last thing you wanted to do was button up some wounds, but really, it didn’t matter if it was done now or later. With the lack of activity in Amegakure, you had the option of sleeping in, so might as well get this over and done with so it was out of the way. You faced Deidara first, and collected chakra into a palm before striking out an arc of pale energy that passed through him like a wave of light. As his very skin was now radiating foreign pale chakra, he lit the night around him for a second until he was entirely healed.

Deidara’s visible eye widened in surprise at this new jutsu you used, and observed it for a second time when you did the same to Sasori, sending out another crescent of healing energy his way. It made contact with his body in the blink of an eye, and absorbed into him, a thin aura of ghostly light pulsing around him for the moment it took to mend his wounds. Then the chakra diminished like it had with Deidara.

“What the hell was that, un?!”

“A variation on the Mystic Hand technique.” You responded, bored. “ _Do_ be more cautious next time you go on a mission. I’m not always around to patch up you clumsy idiots.” 

Deidara twitched and Sasori narrowed his hazel eyes a degree. While you were on more friendly terms these days, he couldn’t expect you to be polite at three-something in the morning, but alas, there was still the great mystery as to why you were on the roof in the first place at this hour. Sasori did not intend to pry right now. They were fortunate you didn’t tell them to piss off and suffer until the Medic Division Office opened their doors in a few hours. As it was, the hospital was cram-packed and stepping into the ER donning the colors of Akatsuki was not the best idea. People here might look up to Akatsuki but this did not change the fact that those cloaks drew unneeded attention. Sasori watched you leave the roof with Itachi, and then went off on his own as well. Deidara flew away too. 

“I thought that jutsu wasn't finished.” Itachi commented to you upon entering the shelter of your bedroom through a window.

“Oh it’s not. I had no clue if it would even work, but I needed guinea pigs and they were asking for it.” You appeared puzzled. “Lucky bastards. If it backfired they would’ve been sawed in half.” You yawned strenuously and began to change for bed. Itachi was getting clothes out as well, but he was chuckling a little at your nonchalance towards the concept that you might’ve killed your own comrades on an experimental jutsu. 

After finally inserting your body between the sheets, you folded your arms behind your head in the darkness and sighed up at the invisible ceiling. “And all before sunrise.”

“Hm, indeed.”

“That whole meeting with Kabuto is such a pile of crap. I am so fucking sick and tired of people ‘testing’ me.” You fumed.

“…”

“I mean who do they think they are, seriously? I could—“You stopped, because Itachi rolled over and shut you up with a kiss, with one hand upon your jawline. He slipped the tongue, too, and your mind rapidly drew a blank before it could complete the rant. He had a way of making that happen. When he paused nose-to-nose with you and smirked knowingly, you cussed weakly. “Damn you. I forgot what I was saying.”

“It’s too early for you to complain. Go back to sleep.” Itachi informed you softly. He shifted back over and folded his arms over his stomach, eyes easing shut. Plainly put, he was tired and didn’t have to follow you but at this hour anything happening at all was a curiosity. 

You muttered something and pulled the blankets up further, and managed to fall asleep again.

 

_Later On…_

You had slept in, but it was a useless sleep with a lot of tossing and turning. Twisted images wove in and out of your mind, contorting vague dreams into vivid nightmares. Your body contorted and warped in the dream-world, where all things were deviated from their normal state in a horrendous turn for the worst. When the most memorable part occurred; a familiar hand moving towards your face, its digits covered in fresh blood, you awoke with a start when they ‘touched’ your eyelids and left prints of juicy red. You bolted upright in bed with a series of sharp gasps, arms pressed behind you ramrod-straight, fingers knotted into a tight grasp of the sheets. It was a struggle to stop hyperventilating. Your eyes were wide, almost feeling like they’d pop out of their sockets, and they prickled almost uncomfortably with hot tears that refused to fall, scorching delicate tissue instead with their saline presence. What was this?! Who was trying to off you in your own mind?

Once you managed to slow down your breathing, you swung your legs over the edge of the bed and looked around carefully, slightly dizzied from the sheer amount of oxygen you seemed to pull in all at once minutes ago.

Itachi had showered evidently, because you could detect remnants of steam in the air from the bathroom, but he was not in bed and the bathroom was wide open and unlit. The television was on the news in the other room, but your bedroom door was left ajar and the shades in the windows were drawn. You distinctly remembered leaving the shades partially open when you got back in the room early this morning, so he must have closed them completely to shut out the light. How unexpectedly sweet...well, it couldn’t be said that Uchiha Itachi was an inconsiderate buffoon, anyway. He was sexy as hell, that’s for sure…knew how to make you squirm easier too. And you wondered if that would ever change, but he seemed to learn things about your body that you didn't know yourself until your relationship had become so very intimate for almost a year now. You were no slouch in that department either, though. It took some trial and error, but you always could exploit medical knowledge of the body and ‘attack’ specific nerve points. Over the months, you became acquainted with what you needed to know in order to get him back for making you squirm with lust.

Reluctantly you hauled your body off the mattress and got dressed for the day, leaving the bed as it was. In your groggy state all you did to your hair was brush it after pulling on soft black pants and a short sleeved dark green top, then ambled out of the bedroom. Itachi was there, his katana lying across the coffee table beside its sheathe, a whetstone sitting at on angle on one corner of the table. Itachi himself was sitting there watching the news while drinking tea, seeming to die of intense boredom. Though he’d never admit to feeling that way as long as you knew him, of course.

“Morning.” You greeted tiredly, and went to go get some tea as well.  
“But not a ‘good’ morning?” He teased, eyes tracking you across the room before returning to the television. You snorted halfheartedly while filling a cup with hot water. The teapot was warm enough for you to use the water inside of it as is. “You were THERE this morning, weren’t you?”  
“Are you still on about that?” He inquired mildly.  
Resisting the urge to call him a prick, you walked over and sat down beside him with your teacup. “My mind was full of bizarre images. So-called ‘dreams’ of transformation, mostly, and then at the very end was bloody fingers reaching for my eyes in the darkness. It’s strange. I haven’t had that kind of nightmare since I was a kid.” Your eyes landed on the television screen. On the blue and white banner scrolling the bottom of the screen. Primarily the information there focused on the unrest in the eastern countries.  
“They were the same as before then?” He asked after a couple minutes. “In a way. Except things progressed. It’s like…” You struggled for an adequate description. “…a story. Yeah. A story, I guess. A tale that my mind has picked up again since I was in training. There’s no use in wondering why though, but some people swear by that stuff. That dreams really do mean something, or that they’re the medium which the dead use to communicate with the living.”

“Don’t discount that yet.” Itachi warned, setting down his empty cup. “You are one of the few people who have been able to bring a human back to life. It is why you are hunted.”

“Yeah. Most of the jutsus I’ve developed have been labeled as forbidden within the past few months. According to Kakuzu’s new book, that is.” You frowned and sunk back further into the crook of the sofa formed by the arm adjoining the back cushions. “I don’t care about that so much. All it shows is that people are as close minded as ever. They’ll keep on believing what they want. I’ll never understand the unscientific mind, never in a _billion_ years if I was immortal, would I ever get their thought process.”

Itachi said nothing to this. He was thinking more to himself now while pretending to watch the news, but he listened to you when you talked. What he was getting from this is that whatever you saw in your nightmares was really bothering you. And since you’ve seen some fucked up things in your life…and done even worse, that was saying something. Such thoughts and images would be disturbing enough to turn even the most devout follower against their own deity in an instant. And you were in deep thought, changed from talking about it to saying nothing at all, also pretending to be watching the news now. Not in memory did you have a dream or nightmare where you were going to be killed, and it was a certainty. The other thing that bothered you was that in your dream, you refused to look the would-be murderer in the eye. You had to focus on their hands and their legs, but mostly it was the hands, since you were both moving fast, fighting at breakneck speed through a landscape you couldn’t recall. The hands had blood on them. You were losing. Why were you losing? Who was it that none of your techniques worked on, why did you resort strictly to taijutsu in the end? A full feral assault, overburdened with panic and adrenaline?

Better yet, why did your mind keep panning back to every detail of the dream you could remember? Its like you had to grasp onto it and hold it or else it would go away, and you’d never see it again. Why did that bother you so much? What was wrong with this picture?

“We need a mission.” Itachi said at last, and you blinked, surprised, and turned to him. Your tea had barely been touched, the mug in hand a lukewarm white porcelain cylinder that you gripped between laced fingers. It was tangible. It was there. In your wild thoughts, that simple everyday object was an anchor to this world that prevented you from floating away. “What?”

“We need a mission.” He repeated patiently. “Something to occupy our time.” All the while he’d known you, Itachi came to understand that if you were idle, you’d find a way to absorb the hours. It didn’t matter how, but by god, you’d do whatever you could. These days you weren’t seeking an outlet for that unused energy. You hadn’t sparred, you hadn’t done much in the way of medical research, and you stopped developing new ways to use your powers too. That recent trick, the new way to use the Mystic Hand technique at range was the last thing you did. Now you did little more than spend time with him, and Itachi could definitely find things to do on his own, but he realized that somebody had to keep an eye on you in this state. If he didn’t someone worse would. There was definitely something off about you since Madara’s assassination. He knew you were having nightmares during most nights, but either you didn’t talk about them or you truthfully did not remember them. This was the first time you chose to speak about it at all, so he listened.

“There’s nothing.” You said dully, and stared back at the screen again, shoulders rounding foreword a little. “It’s driving me crazy. I’m not used to sitting still after all that we’ve been through.”

“Even so.” He said. “We will go spar then.”

“We can’t. Even though this place is so huge we could only go do that in the academy yard, unless you want to risk breaking something in the city. Quite honestly I’m not interested in upsetting Pein-sensei by putting townsfolk in danger.”

“…” Itachi narrowed his eyes slightly. Were your brains really that addled? All that swagger so early in the morning, was that for show? Normally you carried around a complete disregard for life like a flag that you were proud of. Townsfolk were more grist for the mill as far as you cared normally; they provided more blood to grease the war machines. And he didn’t agree with that attitude. But this was you not being yourself.

“I believe that I did not give you an option.” He responded coldly, voice lowering dangerously. Itachi in that instant sounded exactly like he did the day you met him. He had even resumed his famous poker face. He was frigid and unyielding again. Deadly, and never to be toyed with…just two of the traits you admired in him. “Get ready. We are leaving.”

“Wha...?”

“Now.” 

You stared at him blankly as he took his things and went to go get his cloak. With a sigh, you stood and turned off the tv, went to the bedroom, and got what you needed before following him. He was in some kind of mood alright, but mostly, you were curious about why Itachi had become so unfriendly all of a sudden. You were entitled to have an off sort of day, weren’t you? Problem is, you've been having a whole lineup of 'off-days'.

But now you would follow him, and had to keep up because he almost seemed as if he was trying to leave you behind. In no time you were both halfway through the city, leaping from building to building. It still wasn't raining, too. He was leading you out of the city limits and towards the forest. The second you broke through the trees you nearly got hammered in the chest by a strong fist, and evaded clumsily before he struck against your heart. It was a cheap shot for sure, and for a less experienced kunoichi it would’ve been a deathblow. In less time than the eye can blink, you had your wakizashi out, blocking his katana with a clang of metal that sparked momentarily. Itachi used a chance to strike by swinging a knee into the side of your ribcage from the left, and you found yourself unable to block it, and plummeted from the tree branch you were situated upon. You were winded and full of openings, and he exploited every single one of those opportunities. Itachi had blurred into sight beside you and pounded out a barrage of strikes that had you on the ropes in a split second, defending all your vital points clumsily without any footing as you both free fell from the branches of the towering trees. You barely caught sight of the look in his eyes. His cruel, beautiful, crimson eyes, like blood turned to ice in a lake. You could have sworn that you glimpsed a sliver of pure anger within those eyes of his, masked easily by years of experience. Your own orbs widened in shock. Even in the first time you had fought him ever, when he knew you only as a foe, Itachi had never shown such intensity as he did just this moment. And you were caught off guard again, only to regret it instantly. He planted a foot against your stomach in time for your back to hit the ground, and his weight came down hard against the lowest set of ribs, breaking them effortlessly while using the impact as leverage to spring back up into the air and land on a tree branch up above where you lay, stunned and in pain, your wakizashi sitting yards away in a scatter of dead leaves.

You set your head back against the ground and stared up at where you knew he was. What an onslaught. He sure was being merciless right now. Your eyes flickered from were you saw your blade on the ground, well out of reach, then back towards Itachi’s shadow up high. You could feel the weight of his gaze upon you. But seeing your weapon so far away really drove the point home. You had become soft and decadent in the months since your fight with Madara. That was the last real fight you had, and it was almost a year ago now. Pein had found loads of missions for some of the others, but he claimed none of it was suitable for you to bother with. You stopped asking for missions after awhile. Not much longer after that, you stopped training. What was really there to stand in your way anymore? The fear that had been bred into the world was enough to create so much infighting that people would eliminate themselves. So when do you need to bother trying anymore?

“You’re good.” You called out, staring up towards him. “Scary good.” 

“Is this Nagato Pein’s disciple?” Itachi’s voice asked, suspiciously close. You could’ve sworn you saw him up above still. Actually…he was. He was still up there. He was down here also. And this wasn't a clone.

Shit. That meant only one thing.

“Yes. Unfortunately.” You answered dully. Damn you hated his genjutsu. He was the best at it too, _so_ good that you gave up on trying to use genjutsu much at all, unless it was against an opponent where it would be easily applicable. Now it was little more than an unexpected ace up your sleeve amongst other things, but against Itachi, it would be a mockery to try. And given his mood, insulting him was the last thing you needed to be doing right now. Painfully you stood up, wincing, a hand stealing towards the handle of your katana. And when you managed to straighten up, you realized that Itachi was right there to make eye contact before you could redirect your stare. And as you watched, a transformation occurred, where the three tomoe in his sharingan bonded together with the pupil, forming a tri-point black shuriken that began to rotate slowly. The colors in the landscape inverted immediately and you could not move at all. 

“This is not you.” Itachi’s voice reverberated forever and ever, echoing endlessly, making your mind swim. “You are pathetic Gyaku Saiya.” He continued. “I will not kill you. Instead,” You were now pinned against something that you could not see. He had surrounded you with copies of himself, each holding a katana. As far as you could see now, there was no end to these copies. They were everywhere, bending out of sight on the horizon as far as the eye could see.

And then they began stabbing you, one by one, each simply walking up and sticking katanas into your body, and it made every last second an eternity….

“This will continue until you wake up. Until you wake up. Until you wake up. Until---“ The same voice. Going on forever. Interrupting any thought at its beginning with thousands of agonizing stab wounds, twisting meticulously sharp blades in your screaming flesh. God, would it end? Would it ever end?!

“Wake up!” His exclamation stood out oddly among all the echoes of his own voice. Itachi sounded bolder, more real, and you felt strong hands grasping your shoulders, fingers digging into your skin. Somebody was shaking you a little, and you felt a strange, brief warmth issue from the hands into your body through your shoulders. Your eyes sprang open and the world was blurry with either tears or sweat in your eyes. The sheets stuck to you uncomfortably, making you feel like you were suffocating, and Itachi was beside you in the dark. You moved an arm and felt no pain, thankfully, and wiped your face hastily so you could see again. Your lungs ached and your throat felt raw. Every muscle in your body was weak and your whole small frame quivered slightly. “Itachi…you…” You began, voice cracked and weak. “…you…I…what happened…?”

“You were screaming.” He said, and you realized that he seemed exhausted yet concerned. Over his shoulder you glimpsed the alarm clock. The time was 4:03AM. You met Itachi’s eyes confusedly. 

“I don’t understand.” You began, “We were fighting in the woods, and you…”

“Saiya, we haven’t been anywhere near the forest in months.” Itachi responded gravely. “We got inside not long ago after encountering Yakushi Kabuto on the roof this morning. Remember?”

You waited, trying to calm down, attempting to think, and clutched onto Itachi as if he’d anchor you from floating away into another dream. Nightmares within nightmares? What the fuck? Better yet, how could you be so ridiculously pansy-assed in even your wildest dreams? And it was so _real_. All of the senses were involved, apart from one, come to think of it. Smell. 

“Was it some kind of crazy genjutsu, I don’t even…” You babbled. Itachi eyed you strangely. “It was. I had to pull you out of it, but I am not the one who used a genjutsu on you to begin with.” He said quietly. He had fallen asleep probably five minutes before you began writhing and shrieking. When he realized you wouldn’t wake up simply by him trying to shake you awake and shout at you, he put some chakra into your body to disrupt the flow of energy just enough to sever the genjutsu. It was possible that Kabuto did this, but he didn’t do things without a reason. But it was too early to be thinking much.

“Thank you.” You muttered shakily, laying back down and staring at the ceiling. Itachi lay down as well and put his head back, an arm around you. As if keeping you closer would prevent anything other evils from running rampant in your skull.  
“We will worry about it later. For now, sleep.” Itachi murmured close to your ear. Involuntarily you felt some part of your body tighten at hearing his voice so lowered and slightly deeper than normal, even if it was only because he was exhausted. You nestled closer to him and tried to quell the shaking in your body. In that nightmare you had experienced Tsukiyomi, but it didn't feel the same. You had survived through it before in training with Itachi, so it wasn’t hard for your mind to conjure up that hideous realm where Itachi tortures people until their soul crumbles away. For now you had to sleep, but you had a hard time closing your eyes now. Your eyelids felt like they were propped open with toothpicks, and your mind rippled with thoughts that fractured and snapped apart in your exhaustion. Itachi was relaxed but he was waiting for you to go to sleep, and when he sensed you were too tense to do so, he decided he would work a little charm of his own, slipping a hand up your back like he always did, tracing the spine at first, but did not stop there. His fingers brushed ghostlike through your hair, and by a sleight of hand and chakra, drowsiness crushed your conscious mind into a dreamless slumber. And so, now that your nerves were soothed, he could sleep as well.

After all, you’d both need this for what was soon to come.


	2. Flawed Deceptions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You grow more irrational and paranoid. _Especially_ after stumbling upon something as simple as it is alarming, leading you to consider severing ties with the second ninja nation you've ever been a part of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: Took longer than I intended to sit down and go through this chapter to make sure it was presentable...I find that there are flaws in it, but whenever I catch them I'll edit. Meh. I must admit, as I go through it, I find it infuriating that what I write is auto corrected and doesn't make sense grammatically. Or when a word is changed that doesn't belong: I.E: 'here' swapped for 'hear'.

Flawed Deceptions

 

It appeared as though the days were blending together more and more lately. You kept this thought to yourself. But were sure it felt the same for the others also, as change occurs sluggishly around here; somehow making it easier for time to smear by unnoticed. Months have collapsed in the wake of boredom, but you hardly paid attention to the clock anymore. All you knew is that an alarm wakes you at some peculiar hour of the morning in time to shower, eat, and get to what passed as 'work' lately, each task so predictable and regular that you could go through the motions while barely conscious, until the usual caffeine fix took root of course. Normally you're a morning person, but a hint of depression over the uneventful turn your life has recently taken can have this effect.

What helped develop this newfound minor depression was that Itachi and Kisame were on an assignment akin to border patrol, while _you_ were under orders to remain in the Hidden Rain and whip the Medic Division into shape. You hadn’t heard much of what the others were doing for assignments; but you knew that Kakuzu at least remained in control of Akatsuki’s finances. He was doing everything in his power to hoard enough money to support an army of considerable size, which would naturally cost a fortune. Despite that Akatsuki is essentially transforming into a mercenary organization; money is required for all occasions...Pein can plan as much as he wants, but even he doesn't rightly know what the future brings. So the others were distributed accordingly to various missions and such, but you were going solo on your 'assignment' since you were the only one amongst them who could do it.

In other words, you were almost completely alone and had not seen Itachi in four weeks.

With a yawn, you shifted form so you could phase through a wall and into the medical facility, becoming solid on the other side. The halls were shadowed and empty, every window was closed and each door locked. Since you practically had no life compared to what things used to be; you were the first in and the last out here. There were occasions upon which you left early and arrived late, but doesn’t everyone?

But this once, you were here hours before opening. There were a few questions that you needed to answer, and the man you could ask was never available anymore. It felt as though you had been dislocated from Akatsuki and wore their colors merely symbolically, and hadn't seen a single one of the others in a month. And the more you thought about it the weirder it was. Itachi was sent away for seven days at first. Then it was two weeks, and then three. Now it was four, making him due to return any day now; unless something came up that kept him out of town.

The sense of agitation broadened at these thoughts while you shifted through another wall, and flicked on the lights within this current room. Here you could work in peace at least. It was a place far within the building and no one was slated to arrive for awhile. You’d be able to try and figure this out without distractions.

You went to the spot in the room laden with magnified lenses of varying intensities and pulled one on a mechanical arm closer to you. Flicking its switch on the light hummed to life within its glassy surface. Next you stripped your gloves off and began examining the sigils on the backs of your fingers. Some were darker than others, but what you needed to know was why the marks manifested at all. Pein said he engraved them in your very flesh, but he never got to tell you how, and it didn't seem to be with a knife like you originally thought. He once offered to teach you how he did it, but the man steadily evaded revealing what this guarded secret was. Of course, this sent the message that he either couldn’t or wouldn’t tell you the truth, meaning that you were on your own with this one. It was a bit of a ripoff. Perhaps he wasn't thinking things through when he offered, and had since decided it wasn't a wise idea. Whatever the case, this meant you had to figure the whole thing out all the more. 

As you examined them, the sigils appeared to be scars that darkened with use. But why could that be?

 _'Scar tissue formation varies, and he barely hinted at what method was used. I’d think that these would only become more pronounced if they were a wound that was continually reopened''_ You thought, examining each one. _'But there has been no blood, and there’s not any broken skin, so it makes no sense...'_

You flipped the glass-light off and moved the arm away, stood up, and checked the labels and strengths of the different magnifying glasses, until you came to the last set of them and discovered that there was one dense cobalt-colored lens, so dark it was nearly black at first glance. Its existence puzzled you. Such a glass would be pointless for conventional usage, so you read the label to see its purpose. It was printed with a single word: ‘CHAKRA’. You frowned, grasping the mechanical arm it was mounted to and pulled it closer, and tried to peer at the back of your left hand through its gloomy scope, tenuously doubting the sense of it. But that doubt vanished in a moment of gazing through its surface. This cobalt glass was extremely chunky, and you could hardly see the outline of your hand through it much less anything beyond it…but what you _could_ see was five sigils where your fingers were, and they were glowing with faint energy. You flipped the switch on under the light now, and the image intensified, this time; it seemed as if it were an x-ray seeing into your hand and wrist, displaying the chakra valves and conduits in your hand and wrist. You could see energy course through them like blood in exposed veins. But the energy resting on your skin was an entirely different color. And as you leaned closer, you realized that this energy was anything but faint; instead it was compact. And so thin like chakra strings that you could never see or detect them with the naked eye. 

Unless you were much mistaken it was Pein’s chakra sitting there…not lingering there, but simply WAS there, left with a purpose. It was not exactly eroded like the skin under it, there was no tenderness. But now you understood. Your digits were not scarred, but discolored. Still, what would happen if you tried to remove those symbols? Would it render you unable to perform any jutsu?

What a mundane secret…and yet, the implications were startling. Had you never truly been able to resurrect from the dead, had it always been _him_ , all along, rendering you capable of incredible things? 

At the mere thought of it, a sickening sensation scorched within your gut, and you shoved the lens away as if it had personally offended you. What the fuck had that bastard really done to you?! All this time…all this _damn_ time…how could you not have known?! A violent impulse bubbled up, and then all you wanted to do was slam your fists against any solid object, try to break your own knuckles, _attempt_ to tear the skin off your own hands….but you didn’t. You sat down and stuffed your hands under your thighs for a few minutes, fingers now itching to ball into fists, doing your damnedest to quell anger with reason. Was this really a deceit, or did he do it to help? Why would he raise you to follow in his footsteps if in the end the truth might be something you didn’t _want_ to handle even if you could, or plainly put, what if there never was somebody who could learn however _remotely_ to fight as he does? Did he even think of that? He had a kind sensei, didn’t he? But then, Pein was not his old teacher. And you certainly weren’t Pein. 

You turned off the overhead lights and left the room, ready to kill somebody. This very _building_ was against killing; it's a center to save lives, where the healing arts are practiced. Right now you didn’t need to be here, even if you had strict orders that said you had to stay. But if you stuck around for much longer, you weren’t sure that you could keep your temper in check.

And so, dissipating into the form of the spirit, you poured through solid walls and empty rooms until you had reached the city limits and the gargantuan defensive barrier surrounding it. But here you stopped, and stared out. Just where had you been planning on going right now? There’s nothing out there but trees and mud. The closest towns were allied, and the next country was too far to go to exert some frustrations. And so you turned and went back into the city for awhile, until it was time for the work day to begin.

But once the first class rolled around, you were feeling especially vindictive. You wanted to be mad at Pein but he wasn't here to square with those feelings, and therefore you landed neck-deep in a foul mood for the day. There was no outlet for aggression here, and you were sexually tense also with Itachi gone so long. This was _not_ a fun day for you, and equally so, it was about to turn ugly for others who had nothing to do with this. 

Hours later you were trying to teach some of the sharper tools in the shed how to revive the deceased. It was not going well. They were using rabbits, cats and dogs as test subjects. Thus far, a heap of furry corpses formed a mound atop a covered table, with trickles of congealing crimson threading down over the edge of a green tarp. You were most disgruntled at their weakness, and their usual sensei walked in and saw the mayhem unleashed through the large room. All the medics were busy with their attempts, but none succeeded. Regardless you made them mush on, and barely encouraged them. Instead you spat insults and prowled vehemently among the rows of long tables and chairs. They had used much of their chakra in the process. Many of these medics were learning the finer points of chakra regulation, and expended too much energy at once.

The teacher sighed and went over to you and touched your shoulder before you said a word to a female medic sweating over a cat yowling in agony as it died. The room resounded with mindless death-wails.

“Please, cut them some slack. These young men and women are the top of their class, but you must be more lenient with them, this is a skill that not just anyone can perfect!”

You turned your cold amethyst gaze upon him, and he hid a shudder. “Fine then, would you like to help?”

“Ye-“ Before he could finish the sentence, you slung out your wakizashi and penetrated his chest, then ripped the black blade downwards and out, tattering his innards and ribcage in the process. A spray of blood pattered across your front, hitting from your cheek down to your left knee, and more screams resounded all around as that beloved man collapsed to the floor. Even with the profound noises of dying animals and clatter of harried students, the guttural sound of flesh being torn followed by liquid splattering was enough to stop every medic in the room, making the whole space go utterly motionless in that instant. Maybe they were paralyzed and unsure of what to do...a single wrong move, and any of them could be skewered next and dropped beside the dead man, their fluids blending into a pool as one.

“Well?” You snarled into the stillness. “He said he wanted to help! This way, he can assist in furthering your education!” Those words were a bitter gall that froze them to the core, and a hush presided throughout the room, save for the outcries of expiring creatures. 

“Y..you…killed him…” One whispered hoarsely, and more terror-stricken murmurings followed. You narrowed your eyes. “Does the sight of his blood make you ill?” You queried; voice soft and deadly. They never did get it. These people could never understand why you were so reluctant to teach them. They weren't _yours_. They never _would_ be. There was nothing _to_ them. If they were stricken by the presence of blood and death, then they are a rotten waste of oxygen. You raised the moistened wakizashi up and struck it across the room, and the students flinched under the sting of chakra and sprayed droplets of scarlet. The animalistic whines ceased at once. Everybody looked around, fearful and knowing what had just happened. 

“Listen!” You spat out at them, and reiterated the point. “If you all stop panicking long enough to _listen_ , you can hear his heart beating its last! Do you hear it? Stop _whimpering_ long enough to LISTEN, damn it! He deserves your respect!”

Their fear was a tangible thing in the room. You could practically taste it floating above your tongue, and discreetly inhaled. The metallic flavor of crimson in the air, so heavy you could almost taste it…and their fright, their sadness, a tang of saline tears as it began to cloud the rims of their innocent eyes. The room had been rendered so silent that they could swear, even if it was for a second or two, that they _heard_ it. You had stabbed him in the left of the chest, not right into the middle of his heart, but clipping one artery at the side so that it would beat erratically until it could do so no longer. A few of the medics began sobbing, and your head turned their way immediately. “SILENCE! Crying solves _nothing_!” But this wasn't going to drive the point home on its own. Knowing this, you visibly took a breath and lowered your voice, beginning to sound more reasonable and less tyrannical. “Do you possess no fortitude? Are you so naïve to think you won’t see hundreds more perish in your very arms when this war begins?”

A young man stepped forward. He barely looked to be in either his 15th or 16th year. “Sensei said we are here to save them, to heal the injured and strengthen the weak. That we can prevent them from dying!”

You snorted at this bold statement, and responded shrewdly as possible. “Anyone who has spent a day in the real world knows that's a pipe dream. You can’t save them all. Plainly put, you shouldn’t even _try_ to. Pick your battles like everyone else, kid. And the same goes for all of you.” You motioned to them all with a sweep of the blade in hand, then pointed to the fallen sensei. “You cared for this man. I can see that. Learn to hide what you are thinking and feeling. Become attached to far too many people, and you will be made to regret it. But this offers a bond you can expand your strength upon if you think you can take it.” You looked down at the man, voice decreasing in pitch until it was deceptively calm. “Experimenting on cats and dogs doesn’t cut it. These are mere animals, you may have had twelve of them as pets before you die. They come and go easily enough; but a human life has a value placed far above that. Just look at yourselves now that I killed your teacher so easily. You have all become a _disgusting_ mass of nerves.”

And you were right. They knew it as they attempted to avoid the eyes of a murderer who revealed the truth. You held out a palm forward, fingers splayed. “My fingerprints, for example, are not like yours. None of us have the same ones. They may look similar, but are not. Chakra is much the same. Attributes such as color, elemental inclination and so on vary. In the end, chakra is chained to a part of you which can assist in strengthening it. _Emotion_...for instance, works for most.” With a smirk, you added, “Your tears have never been more useful, have they?”

“Give him back…please, you’ve made your point…but for the love of God, give him back!!” A woman cried out, and you turned to her, scoffed, and surveyed the room. So young. So scared. They were new out of the academy. And they had been lied to the whole while. 

Several handseals later, the hand previously extended to them turned palm-up, and the area around it darkened. Above your palm a spark crackled and hovered, then a luminous mist swirled and coalesced. The darkness around your hand spread out and consumed the area, and then, like smoke through a vent, sucked into the man’s wounded body where it was warming a spot on the floor. Lastly, the misty light in your hand followed, and the wounds sealed shut like the slamming of a door. He sucked in a breath abruptly and began coughing, shivering, curling on his side and shaking in a pool of his own blood. “C-cold...” He whispered helplessly, and the students descended upon him in a burst of tears and emotion, both happy and frightened beyond their wits. You watched for a minute or two, then left. Their reunion was enough to make you ill. They would be too busy fussing over him to realize how the technique was done, you doubted they so little as saw a single hand seal or, for that matter, that there was no way they _could_ do this if only for the mundane reason that 98% of them didn't have the amount of chakra required for it. _Years_ went into teaching yourself how to bring the dead back to life, and they were aiming to learn it in a spare few _months_. 

But still, this situation showed was that there are nice people in this city. They weren’t all caught up in this hellish game of death and hubris, but pawns like these ones were too innocent and gentle for their own good. Did Pein realize that? His army was being built on the backs of the young, inexperienced, and disenfranchised. People who had nowhere else to go, no other skills in life, were turning to the military by the droves. There’s plenty who would be useful, but if the majority of the army was comprised of teenagers like those shinobi back there, the Hidden Rain was in trouble. Hopefully the Tailed Demons would provide enough support for such an army to prove its use, because if they did not, this wouldn’t only be a mockery…it would be a slaughter.

You shook your head, closing the door behind you with a click, walked a few steps, and stopped to lean against the wall; sliding down to the floor against the flat of your back. And there you remained, huddled and thinking, with your elbows resting over your bent knees, hands hanging in space. Maybe you were jumping to conclusions too fast. It’s not right to lump the rest of the mercenaries in with them. These ones were brought straight from the academy. What a bunch of children, shocked out of their wits over one _pathetic_ death. 

Besides, there was no sense in spending energy on constantly doubting this country. It had become your cage now.

Straightening your wrists out and splaying your fingers so you could see them, you stared at the spots between each knuckle and middle joint. No matter how long you eyed those places, Pein’s energy didn’t present itself to the unaided eye. Hell, you couldn’t even feel it right now. How did he hide its signature through the years? 

You glanced up when the door opened and people streamed out, their mentor in the middle of their midst, bringing with him the aroma of freshly spilt blood. No one was turned this way and the door was swung open in your direction, so you were hidden from them. All the same to you; they were a nuisance anyway. Thumbing a splotch of drying blood into a smear upon your cheekbone, you mused that by now at least one of them would have mustered their courage for a stirring speech and then suggested that they march on over to the God's favorite tower and demand justice. But you weren't concerned. If Pein found out you killed that man, he’d probably have a few choice words in mind but you doubted you'd receive more than a slap on the wrist, if anything. Not that it mattered what he said anymore. You could not act even if you wanted, could not leave and certainly could not lift a finger. He made it so that the borders of this country were the end of your world, and the rim of the city became the bars of your prison. Whatever his reasoning may be; he was not letting you out of his sight for a moment, and had been distancing himself and the others from you continuously. He’d been using the break-in with Kabuto as a smokescreen to tighten security, keeping the rest of Akatsuki on the move to apprehend anyone else trying to get in Nagato Pein’s way. So far, about thirty-three spies were captured and interrogated within the past couple months. That wasn’t counting any other incursion parties throughout that same time span. He told you once that many of these people admitted to wanting you dead. Some were assassins with blades meant for _your_ throat. 

You had leaped up from your seat and tensed at the mention of it. “WHAT?!”

At that time during the conversation, Pein looked back down at what he was writing; a scroll crammed with his neat handwriting as tiny as he could make it while remaining legible. You hadn’t bothered trying to read that, and nor did you see who it might be intended for. A small bead of ink developed beneath his writing implement. “Rest assured that they have been disposed of, Saiya. You need not concern yourself with those vermin.”

“I’d PREFER to concern myself with ‘those vermin’. All I’ve been doing is sitting around and getting soft, the only place I could train is at the school and that’s been forbidden! Some bastards with a death wish would have made my whole damn month!”

He did not look up, electing instead to resume etching characters into paper. “That is unnecessary, Saiya. You are foremost a medic. The days where your hands were covered in blood are at an end. Now you are meant for other things.”

Your fingers crunched together into fists so tightly that your nails bit flesh, and a trickle of blood seeped between each digit and clung to your knuckles. It was all you could do to prevent yourself from becoming totally irrational. “Sensei, this is beyond an outrage. Please understand that I can’t _stop_ , not like that—“

“—Stop what, exactly?” He made eye contact now. Those ringed orbs were as cruel and indomitable as the day you met him. “Stop killing? Is that what insults you? That I ask a medic to stop taking life and do her job instead?”

“I c—“

“---I do not recall this being a question. It’s an order. You and your 'new' religion are a menace to others, Gyaku Saiya. If I let you do as you please there will be nothing left for my plan to take effect. And that is unacceptable. So you shall remain here. Is that clear?” He bit those words out with icy certainty, as if not an argument in the world could be made. Pein appeared a touch incensed that you would dare wear that Jashinist pendant around your neck in his presence. You were considered the Left Hand of God by these people in this nation, and you openly displayed support for another deity while being known to directly defy Pein himself on occasion. After those words were had, you _really_ wanted to plunge your hand into someone’s heart. It wasn’t an addiction, or a necessity. It was something you simply wished to do, a warm sanguine comfort. It served as a reminder of mortality, that you're latched to this world, because whenever you died, you always returned. Whether or not that would stop happening one day was unclear. So this once, ripping that man’s heart open…it was cathartic. You felt calm within, as if a large portion of the anger had been voided from your soul. But hatred rang hollow within regardless of that purge. 

You decided that you were not going to bother staying here for the rest of the day, and went back to your place. You shucked off the Akatsuki cloak before settling down and removing your nail polish, washed your hands, took the old Gyaku clan coat out and pulled it on, then set out for Kakuzu’s place. On the way there you opted not to arrive empty handed, and decided to make a quick stop at the packy for some alcohol. Afterwards, upon arrival at his apartment, you decided that instead of jumping through a window you would knock politely on the door, and a minute later, Hidan answered. You blinked at him. “Didn’t expect to see you here.” You said. He scoffed and let you it. “Whatever the fuck that means; Kakuzu and I work together, so...” But he broke off, realizing that you weren't in a normal frame of mind. “Oh? I don’t know what anyone does anymore. Pein’s been running me ragged at the medical division.” You grabbed out a few glasses from a cabinet and sat down on the couch. Kakuzu was finishing up on counting some money. “Been awhile though.”

“Not really.” He rumbled, putting away a neat stack of cash. “What do you want?”

You'd been referring to Hidan, but took Kakuzu's response in stride. “Company mostly, I haven't seen anyone lately." You poured a shot and knocked it back, relishing the burn. “I’m really starting to hate this place now. Everybody else gets to fight and I have to sit back and make nice with the local rug-rats who graduated academy with a moderately adequate grade in the medical prerequisite exams. Not exactly my idea of fun.” You said this while setting up a row of shot glasses, each one making a dim 'clunk' as they hit the table. These were heavy on the bottom, where the glass composed an intricate swarm of bubbles in a dense swirl like a hurricane. They looked expensive. Kakuzu is a money grubbing prick, but he doesn't like to live in squalor, either. His apartment was classily appointed and always kept pristine without veering towards the feminine. Sometimes you wondered what everybody was like before the events that made them who and what they are today. Kakuzu was admirably smart, with a keen edge; though seldom had you run across a more brutal man than he. Money couldn't purchase eternal life for him, so he began harvesting the lives of others; assimilating their hearts into his body to increase his longevity. It seemed as though most people sought the same thing you did, but there were hundreds of ways about it. Admittedly it was for hundreds of different reasons, too.

Hidan grabbed a drink as well and sat down across from you. "Leader's a world class dickhead, but seriously, what the hell can ya do about it?" He was right sadly, but you refused to think of this nonsense as a total loss. “Weeeell, about that,” You began, pouring your drink of choice into the line of glasses. “This isn’t what I signed up for. Things are really strange now, to put it mildly. Pein has changed in a big kind of way; first he was behind me one thousand percent, but now that Madara’s dead, he's changed his tune. It’s as if he couldn’t face Madara alone. Come to think of it, neither could I...I was desperately trying not to consider the fact that it was his idea of a suicide mission. Then that Yoriwara bitch shows up and makes me look like a weakling." You set the bottle down and gestured to each of them with an index finger with a piercing stare, as if wordlessly warning them to say nothing of this conversation. "I’ve got to say, I really didn’t appreciate it.” And you took a shot without a wince. Hidan took one next, and Kakuzu (who was not drinking) chimed in. “The Yoriwara have been showing themselves for reasons no one can fathom. I pulled some strings and my sources only found that they have a connection to the Tailed Demons. They keep to themselves, so information is scarce.”

“Right," You took another shot, leaned your elbow upon the sofa armrest, and gestured with the empty glass. "But if the rest of them are anything like that Kitsuna woman, _if_ they become involved, we'll be in far over our heads. I’ve never seen anyone so overwhelmingly powerful; she cremated Uchiha Madara in a couple of strikes. That’s beyond deadly, don’t you think?”

“If they get involved you better believe that the three of us will end up fighting them the most.” Hidan grunted, grabbing for another shot. 

“Only if we aren’t incinerated to dust right away, she was freaking _vicious_.”

“Hah! Whaddaya say Kakuzu? A Yoriwara would sell good.”

“Assuming we could catch one, yes.”

You sighed lightly, feeling a touch as though you were in the midst of a debate with an especially thick-skulled dimwit who failed to see reason. It's not too far from the fact, really; Hidan was always zealously overconfident in his strengths, with only Kakuzu's level-headedness to temper him where possible. “Good luck with that." After taking the last shot, you poured a few more. "I really want to know what’s going on around here. If Pein knew what we're up to then he’d have us separated before you can say 'payday'." Kakuzu shook his head slowly at that, and you rolled your eyes, slumping back into the couch cushions and spread your hands out, palms upward. "What? I'm not trying to whine here, but he’s been downright determined to keep everyone busy. And separate. Mostly separate, though. Or is that just me?”

“Nope, not only you. I’m fed up with this bullshit.” Hidan confirmed, ignoring the shot glasses and going straight for the bottle. “How am I supposed to make sacrifices to Lord Jashin when all I can do is catch some poor son of a bitch and bring him back alive? I mean, its driving me crazy! Seriously! This is a huge sin!”

“I know, I know.” You muttered, leaning forward to pick up another tiny glass. You were starting to slow down on the drinking, mostly because after all those shots (you didn't bother counting how many) a normal person would be blitzed out of their brain; and you were feeling buzzed, but it was too early to get plastered. “At least you get to go places. I…” You stopped yourself and glanced down at the backs of your hands. It had dawned on you just now. How foolish you’d been! “Never mind.” Kakuzu followed your gaze, a bit curious as to what made you stop abruptly, and upon looking noticed that your fingernails were bare. “What is it?”

“Nothing. Don't worry about it.” Could Itachi be back soon, you hoped? You had to talk to somebody about this. But if your suspicions were correct, it couldn’t be aloud. “I forgot. It’s not important.”

Hidan and Kakuzu exchanged glances and you took it as your cue to leave, letting Hidan keep the last of the booze. “Later.” As usual you took the window route, this time using one of the windows in the living area, and Kakuzu closed it after you to shut out the rain. He paused and stared outside after your fleeing back, a stitched hand upon the windowpane. Normally he’d keep his thoughts to himself. But this once, Kakuzu had to say it aloud. “There's obviously something she wanted to tell us. And it was not ‘nothing’. I've seen that woman drink; she isn't anywhere _near_ the point where she forgets things halfway through a sentence.”

“So why the hell didn’t she spit it out?”

Kakuzu watched your form vanish into the rain. “ _That_ is the question.”

 

_With You…_

 

Roughly forty-eight hours elapsed since you last spoke with Hidan and Kakuzu. And for quite a lot of that time, your worries were eating away at your patience. Despite any concerns you didn't bother trying to contact anybody else, and went on about the daily grind. The Medic Division was still working on the training exercises that you assigned to them last. You informed the instructors that you were taking a week off for mental health purposes and asked them to notify you should notable progress be made during your absence. Nobody objected to it; and it was hardly a mystery as to why. After that little demonstration earlier, the students were _far_ happier when you weren’t present. This might be the Hidden Rain and the seat of the world’s turmoil; but the residents are not fundamentally evil. They're quite as human as the denizens of any other country; but admittedly their beliefs were a tad skewed by comparison. Pein saved them from the legendary Hanzo of the Salamander amongst other things, and far as you could tell, that was that. Outsiders were labeled enemies and heretics, and were otherwise handled with utmost caution.

So you kept to yourself, only a couple of days into your mental health hiatus, yearning for what you couldn't have, which only made certain things more desirable. You also spent a fair bit of time trying to figure out how to pry away the chakra that Pein left upon those sigils. It was a difficult task to carry out and it was met with nothing but unsuccessful results. And you didn’t want to try anything too drastic that would notify Pein as to your intentions if he didn’t know yet.

When you thought the day was going to end uneventfully, a short knock came at the usual bedroom window. You rushed over hopefully and…sure enough…it was Itachi. You opened the window to let him in, and he stepped down from the windowsill, pulling the buttons of his rain-spattered cloak open. His hat was still on and you took it from him. “Where the hell have you been?!” You hissed.

Itachi finished shedding his wet cloak and looked at you, a bit bemused at this reaction. He thought of playfully taunting you a little but decided against it. Your concern was plain to see and was best left untested. “There were some border disputes we were hired to settle.”

You faltered, trying not to frown at him. Frowns came too easily these days. “I thought you were patrolling the Rain’s borders. Is the enemy already trying to kick down the front door?” Though, mentioning the 'front door', you wondered why he never bothered using yours like Konan normally does. Maybe he didn't want to be seen entering and exiting the building, but with the rain outside Pein could find out anyway.

“At first we patrolled the west border for several hours. That changed when an anonymous client came here to hire Akatsuki to mop up their mess.” In that sentiment, even Itachi sounded as if he felt he wasn’t a part of the organization. You kissed the corner of his mouth, took that drippy cloak, and left the room to hang it up with the rest of the coats. He followed after a moment, a bit curious of your demeanor. “What’s wrong?”

While hanging up the cloak you exhaled, thinking on how to phrase your concerns, and monitored his disposition out of your periphery. He must be exhausted. But you had to talk to him, and not aloud. There was no telling if Pein was somehow listening, in which case he probably heard a lot already from past conversations within these walls. Ever since you discovered this chakra covering your hands, you had been very cautious, but not so visibly as to arouse suspicion. Right now your mind was completely guarded against intrusion. You became increasingly paranoid; but after the run in with Kabuto, it was hard not to be careful anyhow. Kabuto wouldn’t venture into Amegakure lightly. His ability to survive weighed heavily on the capability to choose his battles.

With a sigh, you caved. You'd have to go for a roundabout method of conversation, and hope he wasn't so tired he wouldn't catch your drift. “I’ve been a bit pent up. You know this, its nothing new.” From here on out you would have to speak cautiously, thinking about how to lure him into one of the old mind-sparring sessions. It wouldn’t be easy because you knew that Itachi was trying to conserve his Mangekyou. Getting him to use Tsukiyomi without actually asking was going to be hard, if not impossible.

“I wish I got to go with you guys.” You tapped lightly upon your forehead. “I’ve been going a little crazy with lack of activity so I took a week off for _mental_ purposes.” Impatiently fearing that you were hinting too subtly, you changed tack. “I’ve actually been practicing genjutsu more, y’know, just to fuck around with the students back at the medical division. For laughs. But they’re a far cry from posing a challenge. I’m used to sparring with you after all, but we haven’t done that in quite awhile.”

“No. We haven’t.” Itachi assented, watching you cross the room and sit down. You looked very seriously at him. “I’m afraid I’ve gotten rusty though. How about it? You can be the judge of that. Or are you too tired?”

Itachi went over and sat down across from you as well, his eyes upon yours. He understood that you wanted to spar and that it was for a reason. The first time you fought him you were able to throw a genjutsu on him purely because he didn’t know you could use it, not just _any_ ninja can. Ever since he was all the wiser and you were not able to do that again. Strictly speaking, entry into his mind was impossible for anyone unless they could outfox him at his own game. But his Tsukiyomi was almost flawless now. It truly was as if you were in another world which he could manipulate to suit his needs, and time was just another tool in that nightmare place. Last you knew, he had become so excellent with Tsukiyomi that he was close to preventing outside interference altogether. It was not something anybody wishes on themselves. And he knew for a fact that while you didn’t complain, you normally were not the first person to suggest mental acuity training. _He_ always initiated it.

“As you will.” Itachi answered, eyes closing, and then opening again, making contact with yours. In an instant you nearly blacked out. It was the equivalent to a punch in the gut that thrust the wind from your lungs. When your eyes opened again you were standing on a flat circular plateau, and all colors were inverted. He was standing there with a katana in hand, slowly walking towards you as the ground underfoot began to blister and swallow your ankles.

“Wow. I didn’t even need lower my defenses.” You remarked coolly. 

“You know better than that, Saiya.” Itachi voiced emotionlessly.

“It gave you no trouble, really…you’ve improved even more. Scary.”

He was drawing closer and you decided to get to the point. “I needed to talk to you but I couldn’t do it out loud. I couldn’t write what I needed to say, either. But listen to me please. It has to do with Pein.”

The lack of ‘sensei’ made him pause and lower the sword. The ground that crawled up your legs halted also. “What is it?”

“My hands. Those markings branded into my hands. They have chakra on them that belongs to Pein, but it was invisible. I stumbled across it in the med lab when I was trying to understand why he wouldn’t teach me how to make more of these marks. I believe the chakra is what is causing the skin to appear like scar tissue, but the point is, they are there for a reason, and it makes sense now. He has always been able to find me no matter where I am, and any time where he acted like he didn’t know where I was…that’s a lie. He’s been keeping me here saying that I will only mess things up, and maybe that’s so. But I find that he’s been limiting my power. And Kabuto’s warning…I don’t know what to _do_. I have been thinking of how incredibly distant Pein has become. And Konan, at first we went out often, but I barely catch a glimpse of her around the building now.”

“I see.” Itachi responded thoughtfully, taking these things in.

“And you...even the others, Pein’s been keeping me as isolated as he can without shortening the leash too much. Itachi, I don’t know what he’s playing at, but with all the injuries I’ve sustained in the past; that chakra should be off my hands. I worry that it also can be used to eavesdrop on me.”

“It could be.” He answered gravely. “Any attempt to remove it may alarm him.”

“I know!!!...I know.” You wanted to explode with fury. That rat bastard! “I don’t suppose he’s just trying to protect me?"

“I believe that he is.” Itachi said, making you blink a little. “If only so that he can keep you for whatever use he has.”

“But Pein can use any jutsu at all. It makes no sense to keep me! He always _could_ bring people back to life, others can as well…Yakushi Kabuto, that old woman from the Sand, and I’m sure plenty of others by now. But he played dumb and didn’t use that ability…I don’t understand why he would do this!”

“Calm down.” Itachi’s voice was a touch colder than you liked. But he was resolute about maintaining control here, and seemed to have caught on to something that you did not. “If he could do all the same things you can do, then he would have dispensed with you long ago. There must be a quality he lacks which you do not. I have an idea as to what it is, but I believe you will need to speak to Kabuto first.”

“What?! Kabuto is impossible to find unless he wants to be found…I doubt he'll be close at hand, I’d have to leave here in order to do that.” In this bizarre landscape, you fidgeted around a little, unfastening one ‘headband’ you had wrapped around your leg, looking down at the new hitai-ate you had been issued since your arrival. Your old Kusagakure headband was currently worn on your right thigh, and above it was the Amegakure one normally. You always wore both together. Kind of so you would never forget where you came from; a country right next door. If you left, it wouldn’t be easy like the first time. But you had been told that you couldn’t teach medics from a country that ‘wasn’t your own’. They wouldn’t allow it at the medical division because it sent the wrong message to the newbies. And so you were declared a kunoichi of the Rain from that day forward, primarily to grant peace of mind to the instructors. While you may be in Akatsuki and viewed as one of this country's protectors, they were ill at ease in your presence. They'd always know that you aren't one of their own.

“I got this impression that if I go to seek him out, I won’t be able to return. And I’m going to have to leave a part of myself here.” You said, and exhaled, eyes closing. The mere thought of what must be done was agonizing. This would not end prettily.  
“Itachi?”

“Yes?”

You reopened your eyes. They were glowing, ‘Eyes of the Dead’ as some have so lovingly referred to it due to their utterly creepy appearance (when dead, the whites turn black and the purple glow was as sickly as it was sinister)...though you wished they came up with a better name. “How do you feel about severing your ties from a second village?”

“…”

“…” You waited, watching him with calmly gleaming eyes. He surely understood what was about to go down, it wasn't difficult to imagine.

“I won’t mind leaving this one at all.” He sheathed the katana. The resulting slither of metal echoed harshly within his genjutsu world. You grinned at this response, relieved. Really, you shouldn’t have to ask, but you wanted to. “Now unless I’m much mistaken, I think there’s a few others who have qualms of their own with the way Pein is running things.”

Itachi agreed with a nod, and both of you closed your eyes to end the genjutsu.


	3. Share The Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Desperate times call for desperate measures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: This is a shorty chapter, but it gets the point across. xD Oh, I hope everyone's found this fic okay, I think I linked both stories together properly into a series format. o.o Anyway, I don't own Naruto...SASUKE DOES! ahahah...
> 
> Itachi: -flat stare-
> 
> Rhig: -ahem- Right. Sorry. Y'know, I never really cared for heavy SasuNaru, but I don't mind it in teeny doses. Thanks for the reads and kudos!!
> 
>  
> 
> _”Sometimes beginnings aren’t so simple / Sometimes goodbye is the only way.” – Linkin Park, ‘Shadow of the Day’_
> 
>  
> 
> _“Once upon a time, I ripped the wings from my spine / But when I hide inside your eyes I still pretend that I can fly.” – Otep, ‘Special Pets’_
> 
>  
> 
> _“And thus I clothe my naked villainy,_  
>  With old odd ends stol'n out of holy writ,  
> And seem a saint, when most I play the devil.” – Shakespeare’s Richard III

Share the Pain

 

It was hard to believe that your situation had come to _this_. You wanted answers from Pein or Konan, but that wasn’t likely to happen. So what could you do but act as you saw fit? And what’s more, Itachi wasn’t talking you down from it either. He hesitated openly but, agreed in the end, if a bit reluctantly. And if that wasn't a sign to go forward with it, you didn't know what was. Maybe his plans really had been thrown out the window too, and all that he set into motion years ago was nearly for naught. Madara's dead, and Sasuke is alive and kicking. And he didn’t plan on settling for anything less than protecting his brother, that he might be allowed to live a full life. Whether or not Sasuke chose to forgive him for his actions was irrelevant.

You didn’t know what Itachi intended to do from here on out but for now, he was helping you along with what you needed to do. And as it was, you weren’t entirely confident about what that entails anymore. It might sound pathetically cliché, but thinking back while knowing what you know now, it was hard to sort out the truth from the lies throughout the years. Hell, you didn’t even know if Akatsuki belonged to Pein, the late Uchiha Madara, or some other motherfucker you hadn’t crossed yet. And nor did it matter any longer. What you worried about right now was escaping the Hidden Rain, and even if the nations were festering with the disease that is war, you both had to seek sanctuary in a new location. It was too bad that you couldn’t stay here. This was a nice setup; a spacious place to live, a decent medical facility, and many other benefits. But like always, the bad far outweighed the good.

You began packing, and by the time Itachi returned through the window with his own things, you were rolling up the last scroll and stuffing it away in a bag. Itachi walked past you and into the bathroom, having noticed something spread out on the floor. It was your cloak, the red and white-bordered clouds facing upwards. Sitting diagonally across the bathroom sink counter was a plain steel wakizashi. Itachi eyed it, knowing what it was for, but he wasn’t sure he thoroughly agreed with your method on how to handle this situation. 

There had been one more time where you both did a ‘mind-sparring session’, and hashed out the exit strategy. Itachi already had the layout of the city memorized, as well as a great deal of the outlying areas, and of course…the border. He had extensive knowledge of every single route coming and going through the rim of this country, and he knew the schedule of each border patrol he had come in contact with. 

This task was a grim one.

But you insisted that it had to be done this way. He waited for you to join him and looked up from the floor when you stepped into the bathroom, rolling your sleeves back as tightly as you could. Itachi’s deadly eyes flickered over you, noting that you weren’t wearing anything special. Rather than fuss over what you were going to put on for the day, you wisely opted to wear plain garments that wouldn’t stand out in public. There was no telling how long you both would be wandering.  
You pulled a plain dark gray hood up over your head and double checked your sleeves. Itachi reached up and pulled his own hood up over his head, easily overshadowing his eyes. He wore mostly black and blue, and did not sport the Uchiha crest on any of his clothing that you could see; he hadn't worn it in years and wouldn't start now. If he did, he might as well paint a target on his back. Right now you both were two ordinary shinobi. You had even put away your signature black blades and senbon, and obtained a standard issue set of weapons; a katana, two wakizashi, and several kunai knives.

Speaking of which, the additional blade you purchased for the deed itself was on the ground. You picked the weapon up, and gave it the once over before taking your Amegakure headband and drawing the edge hard over its center with a piercing wail of metal-upon-metal, leaving a deep gouge over its surface. Then you put the headband away in a belt-pouch with your other one. You turned to Itachi and held your hands out, the blade resting lightly upon your outstretched fingers. His eyes glimmered cold obsidian beneath his hood, like barely two icy crescents of reflected light as he averted his gaze to the object offered before him. The reluctance to carry this grim task out remained...there's a possibility you might not recover, of course. But after a final moment of deliberation, he accepted the wakizashi. 

You held your hands out further, turning them over so the backs faced up. Itachi raised the blade, grasped your forearm, and with a mechanically swift and powerful strike, hacked your left hand off at the wrist joint. The severed hand dropped to your old cloak lying on the ground below, and just as you thought your arm might go numb a second later, the blood-streaked blade bit into the joint of your right wrist. Scarlet cascaded in a torrent from your stumps, and the severed hands lay, one crooked beside the other within a crimson pool and cloud. During this you had swallowed a wail of pain, but forced yourself to watch it happen, body now trembling finely with agony after the fact. Looking down at the floor past where your hands should've been still attached, the symbol of your now-former Akatsuki ring was now indiscernible, its surface covered with blood. And as its reddened image slid in and out of focus, you discovered that you were glad to be rid of it. It felt as if a leaden shackle had been relieved from your person. The pain, blood loss and display of weakness in front of your lover were quite worth it now. However now was not the time to think of these things. You had another pressing matter to attend to right now; and if you were now unable to use your abilities, you would be in deep trouble. 

Itachi placed the blade next to the bathroom sink, where crimson drizzled steadily from its smooth surface onto white granite. He watched you and loosened his own ring, twisting it in place about his finger while you concentrated on shifting form; your gaze lingering on the weapon rather than those two stumps. But it was very hard to concentrate. This had been a gamble from the start, and the torment that scorched up and down your arms was subsiding to a nauseating throb, hammering up and down from stump to elbow and beyond. A dull ‘thunk’ told you that Itachi’s ring now lay in the mess, and he was watching, waiting for you to change shape. 

But you didn’t. 

He could only see the lower half of your face, but it was plain to see that you sucked in part of your lower lip and were biting so hard that the color bled to pallor before breaking open around hard white edges, staining your teeth and welling up a tiny line of red from your tightly sealed mouth. Your vision had curled at the edges into a tunnel. And it was beginning to close around your sight. You made a vain attempt to keep your breathing steady and swayed uneasily, more blood dripping from both stumps.

Itachi cursed softly under his breath, and looked around for any unsoiled fabric he could use to rip up into bandages. You had packed away most everything you could here within reason. But as he turned to the bedroom and made to push by your quaking form, he realized that his shoulder, rather than bashing into yours on the way by, passed _through_ it. He paused and waited in the door, staring at your back…no, through it now…and when he blinked next, you were a ghost with heavily bandaged stumps for hands, stained thoroughly with black.

“I…I’m ready.” You gasped, voice disembodied. The tunnel encircling your eyesight had bolstered open by sheer force of will, and you turned around to face Itachi with overshadowed glowing eyes. “Let’s get out of here. I don’t know how long I will be able to hold shape.”

Itachi held his tongue and went to the window, leaping out. It was your own damn fault for insisting on such a crazy plan; but in the end he didn’t have any better ideas. When Itachi suggested that if you must; to cut off the fingers instead, you disagreed with him. It might alert Pein to what was happening and give him a chance to get here and stop you. Going for the wrist was a slightly better plan; it would be done fast enough to buy some time. The what-ifs were too costly to consider. You followed Itachi by going through the wall and flying high enough over the tallest rooftops to become nearly invisible against the dank sky. No civilian would be able to see you with the unaided eye in this gloom. Most inexperienced shinobi out patrolling at this hour would be unable to see quite the same as them.

You both made your way through the Hidden Rain, as fast as possible with Itachi in the lead. He was moving at breakneck speed and if you were on foot, with all this blood loss, he would have lost you by now. Thankfully you could fly. But it was very hard to maintain your shape without the Ghost Glyph at your beck and call, so you were lagging behind significantly. Below, a whole world of growing familiarity rocketed by as graduated, toothy levels of a stone-and-steel landscape which held no warmth. It lay prostrate beneath the thunderclouds of their vaunted God, home to thousands of citizens blinded by deceit. Pein is no deity. It is said that deities do not bleed the same way as men; and this one certainly had before your very eyes. Emotions raged in a fury-storm that threatened to blow down the walls of your self control as you approached the city limits, your glimmering eyes concentrated on Itachi’s back. You couldn’t let yourself veer off course. No matter how badly you wanted to go and face Pein, there was no sense in it. This was the other reason for hacking your hands off at the wrist; so that it would be one more excuse for why you couldn’t go fight him and let your feelings fall in the way. He would _slaughter_ you, and there was no motivation to acknowledge that. 

Finally, the temptation passed as you launched yourselves over the city wall, and there were screams of alarm in your wake. Itachi didn’t pause to bother fending anybody off. After crossing what appeared to be another boundary, the pursuing guards froze with expressions of horror. You barely glimpsed it, but they stepped into some type of genjutsu trap. Itachi had set it off immediately after you passed them. They were soon fending off an invisible foe, and you focused on keeping up with Itachi after that. Now that all the slippery surfaces of civilization were behind you, he had picked up speed and was negotiating the terrain with practiced ease. Additional tormented cries from behind indicated that extra reinforcements encountered another brain-bender left behind for them to step in.

While following along after him, you paused to consider whether or not those people informed Pein or Konan yet that a ghost had been sighted leaving with another person. Itachi was essentially unidentifiable right now unless they peeked under his hood. You felt a very distant twinge at the thought of Konan’s face. Would she be hurt? Maybe she’d understand? Either way you aren’t her, and you didn’t know how she’d feel now as opposed to the first day you both met. But in spite of that, she was your best friend and lately you had been unable to contact her. It was hurtful that she assisted Pein in keeping you isolated; and you wished with all your twisted heart, just for once, that things could have turned out nice and that you didn’t need to literally leave a part of yourself behind. Your blood, your hands and your comrades…in the end, Itachi dispelled any illusions that you could convince them to leave, too. 

_’Besides,’_ You thought a little grimly. _’They’ll be told to hunt us down. Sending anyone other than Akatsuki would be murder. Not that such things stop Pein.’_ You flitted through leafy boughs, not bothering to dodge them. _’We are rogues who've gone rogue from fellow rogues. Is there a name for that?’_ Unless neither of you concerned them any longer, that is. In which case, too much thought was being invested in this whole situation already.

This may especially be the case with Itachi. Sasuke was ever gathering support, and your attack on Team Hebi only made him look like a victim. You had a feeling that the others weren’t dead either. Kabuto is obviously alive too; and all you could do was let him lead you by the nose and use _him_ before he used _you_. Various people continued to allude to something that you weren’t prepared for. Who the fuck do they think they are, anyway?

You tried not to grimace at the thoughts flashing through your head of all the times, _all_ the people, who had told you that ‘you aren’t ready yet’. The fact that they shared some kind of common knowledge that continually evaded you was beyond annoying. Maybe they did not look for the same quality to be ‘completed’, or whatever it was. 

The whole while, thinking as you flew through rain-slicked foliage and branches, the water evaporated in the instance of your passing, and your temper had tripled in volume. Very, very far away, you felt a tingling at your stumps. Bones cracked, splintered, softened, pushed outwards, reformed, and hardened. Cartilage burbled up between bare joints and toughened while a network of veins snaked and connected through an intricate lattice of sinew and nerves. Blood began to flow into new empty vessels. 

You charged after Itachi, chakra absorbing unconsciously through the air into your person while your body continued to alter, repairing what was lost. In the fog of anger you began to experience tunnel vision of another kind; where all you could see was Itachi bounding along the tree-path ahead, glancing back here and there to check and see if you were keeping up. He appeared to slow down. Maybe so that he wouldn’t lose you.

As your mind resurfaced from the short-lived rage, you began counting to figure out his speed, and realized that he hadn’t decreased his pace. If anything he stepped it up. Why did he seem to be moving slower, then?

More chakra coursed into your body until it struck the boundary that marked when you could transition back to solid form, and the next leap ahead, the ghost-bindings began to unravel and fling out behind you like tendrils of pale light. You felt a branch bend underfoot, and sprang ahead, the air rushing over your skin and blowing back the hood that became tangible once again, and your body finished its change. The backlash of air swished over your newly regenerated hands and wrists, and it was nearly a shock to the system because they were initially quite sensitive. Again, it seemed as if Itachi was moving more and more sluggishly, and you paused to cling to the side of a tree, boots pressed hard against its rough trunk. You looked around, eyes widened and gleaming amethyst in the shadows of the forest. You turned your head to gaze up at an angle to where your right hand latched about the base of a branch, and tightened your grasp, feeling the bark press into your palm and fingers. You perceived that Itachi paused further ahead and turned to see what the hold up was, has face plunged into darkness beneath his hood. But he had an interesting reaction when he noted that you completely renewed and were fully solid again. 

It was hard to see from where you were, but you could’ve sworn that he cracked a rare smirk, watching you stick to the side of the tree and wonder at the speed of your own recovery. He wasn’t sure at first, but now he could confirm that your chakra level was skyrocketing. Pein’s limiter-barrier collapsed and the influx of energy must have provided more than enough power to reform your wrists and hands with ease. You crouched closer to the surface of the tree, folding chakra into muscle as tightly as you could, and then let it go. You fired your whole body from the tree trunk and straight ahead through the forested expanse, passing Itachi with such intense speed that he was unable to see you with the naked eye until you lighted upon a tree limb far ahead. A second later, a mass of leaves exploded up into the air in your wake, floating to the ground in a seemingly delayed reaction. By the time they landed Itachi reappeared beside you. You could not contain the feral grin from spreading over your face, and Itachi’s smirk tugged a fraction wider. “I can’t believe—“ You noticed at the same instance he did and turned, cutting off. 

Back where he had been standing prior, a figure was reforming upon the branch, leaf by leaf. The last thing to piece together out of leaves was a rose, which turned white before your eyes. Konan had followed stealthily, pretending to be leaves scattered by your exodus since you both hit the forest. She may never have been caught by the genjutsu either, and this could mean that Pein was nearby if she alerted him.

“Konan?” You called out.

She didn’t respond at first and continued to scrutinize you. You both did a fair job of dressing like ordinary ninja. No one even realized what was happening until they saw _you_ , as a ghost. And that was hard to spot, but she had been informed in enough time to intercept you both out here. You weren’t going to keep moving at this point, because you did not want to be found, and she would certainly follow. Konan was thinking about what she had just seen; about the massive chakra that was detected out here. And the level rose like a tidal wave, towering above Kisame’s own chakra signature and certainly dwarfed her own. And it was continuing to surge as she watched. The pressure was almost unbearable at this distance alone…how could Itachi stand so close to you and not be affected?

Seeing you two together made her a little jealous. You were escaping your imprisonment. You were going to carve your own path through the world. Just like she did with Pein and their friends when they were all your age, when they felt the oppression of the world and strove for reform. In spite of herself, a saddened smile curved her lips. It may not be for the same reasons. But seeing you two there, very ready to attack or defend, she thought she understood exactly why this was happening. Sometimes she wished that she could relive those past years.

“Pein has gone too far, hasn’t he?” She asked gently, her voice nearly swallowed up by the distance. Your hooded eyes remained level on her form, watching to make sure that she didn’t try anything.

“…” You remained silent, watching her, very unsure about what to say. Konan is your best friend out of anyone in Akatsuki and there was still a part of you that felt bad. You always took care of your own, but she was impossible to find. Pein had pushed too hard to keep you separate after that last shopping trip. He knew that experienced kunoichi like yourselves understood not to allow emotion to get in the way; but this time there was no indication that either of you cared about protocol.

“…” Konan’s face almost fell but she kept motionless, watching you. She could not be forced to choose between you and Pein. In the end, Konan stood beside Pein the longest and was not about to stop now. She cared for you, but knew him better. And you realized that Konan would stay next to him and continue with their goals. They strove for a brighter future in their own way. Pein’s methods were sick and twisted, but it was the only path he knew by heart. And he attempted to show that to you, but you were blinded by sight through different eyes. Konan tried to help and nudge you along as well, venturing to keep you on the same path they strode all these years. It was a vain hope. You took what you would from Pein’s teachings and molded that knowledge to suit your needs. If Konan stood at his right shoulder as the beloved Lady Angel, you stood to his left as a Devil and executed his will in ways that she couldn't while otherwise engaged. You were the abomination who slaughtered the enemy in ways that left echoes of anguish and fear itself quivering in your wake. Akatsuki was seen as the protectors of the people in Amegakure. Now you had fallen from them and took Itachi with you on the way down. The absence of your cloak and ring were evidence enough for her...wait until she returned and found what remained in your former apartment.

“I could not keep living like that Konan. Pein refused to behold the situation as I do; quite like how I can't see things his way. All I have in common with him any more, is that I am doing what I need to do the way I know how.”

Konan stared almost lifelessly across at you both. She was hearing your words, but in a way, wished you hadn't said them.

“I understand that you must stay with him. I never expected anything else from you, Konan. All I can say now is thank you for everything. Should Pein decide to pursue us, you and I will likely be enemies the next time we meet. Because, as you know…” You trailed off and smiled slightly. “…there is _always_ a next time.”

She could harden her heart right there and attack. You didn’t consider her an enemy here and now. That offered an advantage. But Itachi probably didn’t see things the same way. He would intervene. And no matter how tightly she tried to pack her feelings away, she would still be too emotional to fight someone like him. Everyone in Akatsuki saw what happens when you try to fight Itachi without a clear head. He turns your every dream into a living nightmare and each stitch of emotion becomes another knot in the noose. If she fought him now she would be left dead inside. Despite how undeniably powerful she is, Konan couldn't let herself fall into that trap. As it was, these wild thoughts in her head had turned traitor enough, and she knew she was letting the situation get the better of her. The last time she was so drowned with emotion was when she was a child. Maybe a piece of her never grew up. You _did_ have a knack for drawing that part of her out of hiding.

“I do not understand why you must go.” Konan voiced at last.

“As things stand, I couldn’t possibly comment.” You answered flatly, pointedly. And it was a fact. She would have to see for herself. And eventually, Konan may piece together the truth of your betrayal. _Itachi_ made more sense to leave than you did as far as she knew right now. They learned awhile ago of why Itachi agreed to joining them. His motivation was to keep Konoha safe. Madara was plotting its downfall; and Pein aimed to ignite another Great War. Madara is dead now; but Nagato could not be shaken from his goals. His plans remained as solidly rooted as they were when Itachi first entered into Akatsuki, so it was a matter of when he decided to cut his losses.

“I wish I knew what you are trying to do.” Konan said, and put a sleeve-covered hand to her brow in exasperation. “Stay out of our way then, Saiya. Vanish from sight and do not get caught in the war. Because if you do, there’s no guarantees that—“ She lowered her hand, and stopped. Both of you were gone now. Perhaps just as quickly as she uttered the word, ‘vanish’. Konan cast her gaze around, trying to detect what way you both went, but the forest was undisturbed in all directions. She could easily disperse into origami butterflies and find you, but, with a bitter smile, she chose not to bother. This was her present to you as a friend; the gift of time. And you took your cue and 'vanished'. If she permitted for you to have a head start, maybe you really could disappear. You were good at that, anyway. 

Konan turned to head back, occasionally pausing to examine the fallen shinobi laying over tree branches or upon the forest floor. There were twelve of them in all, and one man was just as glassy-eyed and unresponsive as the next. They were breathing, and no longer captured in Itachi’s genjutsu, but it was plain to see that they ‘weren’t here’ anymore. These people were as good as dead. Slitting their throats would be an act of mercy.

She moved on and went to find Pein. He had been in a meeting, and was not to be disturbed. It was pure dumb luck that things worked out the way they did; Pein might have gone after you himself otherwise. When Konan arrived, she saw that the doors were still tightly sealed and he might not be finished for awhile. And it was so. The doors opened a half hour later on the dot, and several officials issued out, stretching as they walked, murmuring amongst themselves. Pein strode out of the chamber and looked at Konan inquisitively. Normally she was off working at this hour. But she couldn’t withhold information; and understood that Pein must be kept apprised. His emotionless façade dropped slightly when the other people were out of sight, traded for a muted breed of concern. “What is it?”

“It’s Saiya. She left with Itachi just now. I couldn’t catch them.” Technically it was a lie. She didn’t put effort into it, after all.

If he noticed the energy outside the city limits or knew anything of this situation period, he gave no indication. “And _yet_ , I sense that she’s at her residence.”

“No…Pein, that’s impossible. I saw with my own eyes that they escaped.” Konan protested. 

“Then let us see for ourselves.” He responded calmly. Konan didn’t dispute it. But she was confused. Did you leave some type of decoy? A clone might do the trick, a powerful one would anyway. But she couldn’t sense you nearby herself. What was Pein talking about then?  
When they arrived at the apartment minutes later, Konan herself knocked on the door. “Saiya? It’s Konan, please open the door!” She called, almost hopefully. No answer. “Saiya?” She knocked again. But there was no response. She tried to simply open the door, but to no avail. It was locked. “And you are positive she is here?” Konan inquired of Pein, who nodded his answer. She slipped several pieces of origami under the door, formed it into a hand on the other side, and unlocked the door. They stepped inside and Pein went right ahead to where he sensed the energy. Konan followed him into the bedroom, turned towards the bathroom, and froze when she caught sight of it the same moment he did. A hand rose to cover her mouth, eyes wide in shock. “Oh…"

Pein was rooted to the spot. There were two severed hands sitting in a mess of bloody fabric, and Itachi’s ring. A blade covered in congealing liquid rested beside the sink. He half couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “Why?” Konan asked, staring at the grisly mess. “Why would she cut her own hands off? Just to _leave_ anyway? It makes no sense—“

“It makes _perfect_ sense.” Pein bit out icily.

“How so?”

“Konan, this is important. When you saw her, assuming it was not a clone made before this,” He gestured to the muck. “What did she look like? Was she whole?”

Her brow furrowed a little at his question. “She appeared normal. Her hands weren’t missing, I would've noticed that. I know it wasn’t a clone though, her power was growing and growing right in front of me. Such chakra pressure was stifling even at a distance.”

“Of course it was. It seems I completely missed the mark on her limiter as well.” He seemed to have an extremely foul taste in his mouth. 

“But why would she cut off her own hands?”

“SHE did no such thing. Itachi did. I wonder which of them realized the truth.”

“And what is that?”

Pein did not turn to face her. He stared rigidly at the spot on the floor. “Long ago, I carved symbols into her hands that she may be enabled to use every element." He turned a bit to the side and looked up over his shoulder at his childhood friend. "You see, the Gyaku Clan is a bit peculiar. They may not have a true kekkei genkai, but every so many generations, a prodigy is born. And in particular, that prodigy has absolutely zero alignment to any of the elements; their chakra is pure to the core. It’s a phenomenon that could never be explained. Additionally, they were discovered by happenstance. During the first Great War, their current prodigy became a prisoner of war of the Hidden Cloud. A raid occurred, and the Leaf took possession of this individual. His name was Raizen. He is rumored to have died during his interrogation as far as anybody knows.”

“So they learned about his strange chakra one way or another.” Konan said.

“Yes.” Pein responded stiffly. “Ever since, more of these Gyaku ‘prodigies’ have been born and perished, and each one of them displayed extraordinary resilience to any given circumstance. A had the same neutral chakra; and a mass quantity of it, at that. They were all undisputable geniuses, every last one of them. Saiya is no different. I knew I could use her when I found out about her. But she would be unpredictable, a characteristic that forced me to keep some of my own energy on her always so that I may always know where she is.”

“And that was in the seals on her hands.” Konan translated, eyes now resting on the drying blood. “No wonder then. I never even noticed it, doubtless, no one else did either. She would've stumbled across it by accident." Konan smiled ruefully. “You taught her well.”

“The chakra was invisible. I made certain that it was impossible to detect with one’s senses alone.” Pein said, ignoring the compliment. “I was able to listen to her conversations if I wished. A useful side effect, however I rarely did so. She must have become very paranoid indeed once she knew.”

“Evidently she didn’t lose her abilities. Her hands looked fine to me when I saw her.”

Pein didn’t bother asking the question and he wouldn’t bother wondering why Konan didn’t bring you back. Rising to anger over it made no sense now. But if his hunch was correct, and it likely was, Konan didn’t piece together the real fact of the matter. She basically confirmed that you had burst the seal on the limiter and when he reached out with his mind, he could sense that she wasn't lying. And then you blipped out of range. 

_’Perhaps she was ready after all.’_


	4. From Out Of His Shadow, Daybreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The desert crossing is thankfully uneventful, and you find yourselves safely in Suna.  
> Question is; for how long?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: Thanks for the reads, review and kudos! Incidentally, if any of you have read the story 'Rappaccini's Daughter' by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there's a blatant reference to it in this chapter, and indeed, references to it all throughout StR-1 you'll find. And in this chapter, I found myself almost typing out a Bioshock quote as well as it really does apply here and at the end of StR-1. 
> 
> *About the plants, don't think those exist in any form and don't know if they're in some anime or manga or book. I made them up on the spot.
> 
> "No Gods or Kings. Only Men." - Andrew Ryan, Bioshock

From Out of His Shadow, Daybreak

 

Together, you and Itachi fled the Hidden Rain, crossing boundaries and conflict-fractured properties. He pointed out somewhere along the way that there wasn’t much else you both could do until both your future goals underwent some serious evaluation. Going forward; there must always be a contingency plan. One would think that there always had _been_ such plans waiting in the wings when you both worked with Akatsuki. The fact is; you found yourselves flying by the seat of your pants quite often in the face of eventuality. Pein liked to make only plan ‘A’ do its job; and would work with a situation as it arose otherwise. If there _was_ another plan, he didn't like to resort to it quickly unless need be. Though typically that didn't happen.

Pein would likely be setting such a plan into action at this very moment; while both of you rushed further away from the Rain. You were hiding from the fugitives now even, which deeply complicates the process of slipping away unnoticed by one side or another. Thankfully, it is easy to duck into a crowd and disappear with clothing as ordinary as what you both currently wore. Any shinobi worth their salt can remain unseen if they wish, which is an old trick but an essential one nonetheless. Many miles out from the capitol of the Rain; the most logical plan was to go straight for Kusagakure. It was the closest territory outside of Pein's jurisdiction, and the straightest shot from the capitol. But anyone following you would be dead wrong, and this plan banked on the enemy leaning upon that assumption.

Once Konan departed and there was no indication that you were being followed; you both redirected your path and took the long way, giving the city a massive berth in the process. After skimming all the way around, you made for the Hidden Sand, cutting through a border town in the process. Originally you wanted to go for the Land of Rivers. But the desert made tracking damn near impossible because of its treacherous sand storms. Though it was a gamble, as Pein has allies at his beck and call who can navigate the dunes with ease. For one, Sasori is _very_ familiar with this place, but he was far behind and with any luck, Pein directed whoever he sent to try and find the pair of you within the Grass Country first. _If_ he didn't have the spare manpower to scatter pursuers in all directions. Last you heard through the grapevine, he had several mercenary missions out in full swing. 

In the border town, you topped off the food and water supply, going so far as to add more canteens of water to a scroll. Since you weren’t familiar with this desert route, and Itachi wasn’t much better off with it, it would pay off to have extra. Venturing out here was highly dangerous. After a storm, its easy to lose sight of which direction you went in. While trekking through a featureless land where the towering azure sky knelt only to broad-shouldered dunes, your head was beginning to spin from the traveling conditions. It was almost silent out here, except for the soft breathing of the wind on occasion. And it wasn’t a cool breeze, either. Under the tawny cloak you purchased in town, your skin was seared with an even, hot temperature that made moisture blossom from every pore, making the clothes under your sand-blown cloak stick unpleasantly to your flesh; as if it were a soggy second skin. Itachi looked to be in the exact same situation. He advised against using a jutsu to alleviate such discomfort; stating that something like that would disclose your location to any pursuers and desert vagabonds who could detect energy. You’d been quiet ever since, since he was right and you were too irritable to admit it. With tempers ready to flare, and the sun crowning the sky at midday, it was best to keep your mouths shut. The only sound you could hear was the sand breaking easily around the tops of your shoes, and the hem of your cloaks murmuring against rough slopes. Upon cresting a mountainous dune, you stared out hopelessly and saw that, indeed, the long haul was not about to subside. Sky adjoined land many leagues ahead,and nothing broke in between. It was high noon, and it felt as if it had been so for hours now. You sat in the lee of a huge dune with Itachi and both of you poured water down your throats almost greedily.

“Any idea how far we’ve gone?” You chose to ask, wetting a piece of cloth with a tiny amount of water. You wiped your face and felt somewhat better with the slightly cool cloth against your skin. It wouldn’t last, but you had not covered the lower half of your face like you were advised to do in the border town. You tried before and felt like you were suffocating. Though now you wished that you had, because you could taste sandy grit on your lips and felt it abrade your cheeks and jaw line. A few grains lingered upon your eyelashes as well, and you wiped them away before they could get in your eyes. 

Itachi was taking down almost an entire canteen of water on one breath. You nearly laughed at his enthusiasm, despite that there was nothing very humorous about it. He took a breath after that and pulled the off-white hood down over his forehead a little more. “I’ve been able to keep track. We should not have much further to go.”

“This is an awful lot to deal with, going out of our way like this.” You voiced.

“Regardless; it will buy us the time we need. The only one who knows this desert very well is Sasori.”

“And he has a human body to contend with now, and by all means, that would decrease his speed.” You said, sighing a little. “ _Unless_ he takes Deidara with him. And if he does, they can fly to us quick. It wouldn't take long for them to spot us, we're the only people out here for miles as far as I can tell.”

Knowing what you were getting at, Itachi saw fit to remind you. “Which is why we did what we did in the first place. They would assume that you will want to rendezvous with your subordinates.”

“And _they_ were known to hide in the Grass Country.” You grumbled, watching Itachi bite into an apple. “I hope they aren’t that stupid. Getting caught twice was bad enough, if it happens a third time I really don’t know what I’ll do. I can’t let them become a soft target.”

Itachi finished chewing while you pulled out some bread wrapped in threadbare cloth. “And if they do?” He queried pointedly.

“Then I’ll have to cut them loose. For my sake, and theirs.” You tore one large roll in half and offered him part. Having finished the apple, he accepted it. You fished out an apple too, but ate the bread first and drank some water. Although your body would require food to keep on marching, especially protein; you really didn’t want anything. The touch of water to the bottom of your stomach had been sudden enough to nearly induce vomit. Upon feeling a new bead of sweat trickle from your hairline into your eyebrow, you chose to take some dried meat out as well, and gave Itachi some before taking a little yourself. “We’re going to need the protein.” You explained while he accepted it reluctantly. “I doubt that you're hungry anymore, but try to eat that little bit."

“I’m not. This heat is oppressive.” But he ate it anyway with what remained of the bread you gave him. Even if his thoughts and emotions were hard to figure; you knew that Itachi was suffering just as badly, if not more. His body always seemed to run hotter than yours, and with all this walking he might feel as if he was burning inside out. 

“Either way we need to have food in our bellies to keep our energy up. Plus, we should avoid using the last of those soldier pills until absolutely necessary. Appealing though it is to use them right now...” You trailed off and turned your face into a new wind. It rustled your billowy cloak and hood, producing a flapping noise. While it was the same temperature as the desert, the air shift was very welcome, and by concentrating on it you ventured a dim attempt to distract your mind from this lovely rebellious stomach of yours. You were fit to puke, but held it in and tried to refuse the impulse, because vomiting would only worsen your condition. You dug around in your bags and found some herbs, then tore off a leaf and slid it under your tongue. Its flavor was a little peculiar, distantly reminiscent of peppermint, but it would work to keep your stomach off the rocks once it set in. “I have a feeling that the local cuisine is going to disagree with me.” You informed Itachi matter-of-factly. “Want a leaf? It’ll help settle your stomach.”

However, he had been eyeing you suspiciously. During their time knowing you, the Akatsuki learned that anything leafy and green you carried around was likely detrimental in some incarnation. “Is that poisonous?”

You grinned impishly and tugged the fabric around your mouth and nose once more. Instantly, you felt like you were roasting alive. “I'd refer to it as highly toxic, actually.” You crushed an edge of the leaf against a molar and smirked under the dusty cowl. “But as you know, I like to keep myself immune to as many things as possible. This was the first plant I ever worked with. And incidentally, I’ve immunized you to it as well.” You offered him a small, pointed leaf and tilted your head, amethyst eyes glinting in the sunlight. “Why would I want to kill _you_ , Itachi?”

Now it was a question of trust, and he did not want to offend you. Though he wondered when you 'immunized' him to anything, Itachi believed you wouldn't purposefully harm him. But this evidently dangerous leaf wasn't any less questionable. He finally accepted it and inspected the arrowhead-shaped sliver of green. It had begun to dry along the edges, which were lightly serrated. "Put it under your tongue. You can get rid of it once it has no more taste." You instructed patiently. "I doubt your tolerance will allow you to swallow the leaf itself, but you should be able to ingest its fluids."

"And if I do?"

"If you eat it, you will probably experience severe vertigo. And unicorns on the lawn. Ah, and a small point of note-- there _is no_ lawn out here, so if you see that, you might've passed out."

"..."

You packed things away and stood up, trying futilely to brush the sand off your person. Out the corner of your eye you saw that Itachi did as you instructed, albeit with noticeable apprehension. "What's the name of this plant?" He asked. Your eyebrows went up, though he could not see them. "Haven't you seen it before?"

"I know what it reminds me of, but I could be mistaken..."

"Oh." You shrugged and shouldered your pack. "It's called Siren's Breath. A distant cousin of the Reapervine family. I trust you've heard of _that_ , at least...Reapervine is known to kill, as the name suggests. It was considered a weed, though I think it's actually rather pretty...but around the Grass Nation, where it likes to grow, it has been killed off as best as anybody could manage. We used to have it climbing up our walls at the Gyaku Compound, mostly as thief deterrent. Worked better than razor wire that's for damn sure. Also, we had a courtyard full of deadly plants much like that one. It was absolutely pristine, a sight to see indeed...every color you could want in nature, right in one place. As I recall, it used to be an assault on the senses." You gave a small, bitter laugh and rotated your shoulder in its socket, shrugging the pack-strap up a little. "Though I worked primarily in the greenhouses, I preferred tending to the courtyard when able. It was jokingly referred to as 'Venom's Vice'. You might've heard of it. We used to bottle stuff under that name."

Itachi glanced at you strangely while shouldering his own pack. If a person wanted to purchase top-shelf poisons or antidotes, the Hidden Grass was the place to go. It had a high concentration and sheer variety of dangerous vegetation and sly, venomous creatures skulking about. But the art of poison-making eventually became suppressed and frowned upon to the point of paralysis, as it were. Once that went out of style and less ninja incorporated toxins into their tactics, the Grass had to cut their losses and move with the times. Which is when their astringent medical program sprang into being. It only made sense, as they'd always been exceptional at developing cures for otherwise lethal maladies anyway. "I've heard rumors about it. Though I wasn't convinced that was the _actual_ name. Seems a bit ostentatious."

"Yes. Not surprising." You responded with a faint smile, ignoring the last part. "This is the Grass we're talking about, which is populated with a range of venomous things from top to bottom to begin with. Most of what we kept around the compound was native; though we did have some rarer, exotic things imported from overseas. There were tons of flowering plants and fruits, some poisonous creatures kept as pets, and so on. Altogether, the perfume from that garden was quite lethal to those without any kind of tolerance. My clan bottled alcohol, but we also had a hand in the black market; retailing plant and animal toxins used to refine poisons and medicine. The rest of the nation moved beyond that, meaning we could monopolize sales. Well, y'know. After we obliterated our competition that is."

"So this immunity of yours is in your blood." Itachi concluded, ignoring the last part.

"I suppose you could say that. I _did_ grow up around that stuff. Children in our households got sick often because of it, but my bloodline ages slowly. My grandmother was 127 years old when she died, and she appeared to be in her early 70's when buried."

This sort of talk intrigued him as ever. You killed your family, and harbored ill will towards their decisions before their harsh end. But otherwise you did not appear angry about them at all. If anything, he thought you seemed fond of those memories. This was a good opportunity to learn more about you, and it was not the first incident he could recall where you spoke of them in a manner similar to this one. After all, he found himself musing over plans for the future more and more, and not only the _immediate_ future. It's not wise to only think about the here and now. But when this war runs out of steam and blows over, ideally the nations would be too preoccupied with repairing damages to expend the extra manpower needed to catch people like yourselves. Again, _ideally_ , if you both left them alone, the favor would be returned, even if it was only for a short while.

During times like that, it would be very simple to get away with murder because the world's greatest fighters would be recuperating from their various 'epic' battles, same as the weaker rank-and-file ninja. In the end, both of you understood that you'd probably be in the same situation as everybody else. So now that you cut ties with Akatsuki and yet another Hidden Village, the matter of a home had to be discussed. And you couldn't very well stay in one spot for too long while being chased. Plus, to add on to that, Itachi's eyes could still get progressively worse. The patch-job you did awhile ago was wearing off. Their condition wasn't as bad as before; but he couldn't see as perfectly as he did when you initially healed the damage. He may have to go hunt down Sasuke himself with no other alternatives. His brother's eyes were the only ones that'd work to his knowledge. It did the trick for Madara; and that son of a bitch lived a _long_ damn while.

Now plans were altered. He didn't have to protect his little brother anymore, but the impulse to do so remained all the same. But he didn't know what to do with Sasuke at this juncture. He was a splinter from a shattered scheme, and would remain embedded in Itachi's side until he was able to divine a way to deal with him. He had this whole plan set up, right past his own death, and now it was for naught. Big bad Madara was gone. Similarly, Orochimaru was a non-issue for now. All this time he was either dead and gone for real after your little 'initiation test', or he was too weak and pathetic to present himself yet. Or that's what he wanted to believe. The little occurrence out in the ruins, where a Kabuto clone tried its best to fool the group, stuck out in his mind. Kabuto was the most loyal man to Orochimaru's cause. And he wasn't going to quit so easily. It was an uncommonly known fact that Kabuto was able to use a form of resurrection jutsu, but honestly, when he thought about it, Itachi didn't find it surprising. Orochimaru's research centered around resurrection for many years. Kabuto, being his right-hand man and personal medic, was bound to have inherited most (if not the entirety) of the snake-man's techniques. The nature of such jutsu wasn't wholly apparent right now, whether or not there were side effects or anything of that nature. Either way it wasn't Itachi's forte. He'd have to leave such things to you; one of the select people left in the world capable of enticing a soul out of oblivion and back into its rightful body.

Hours would pass.

 

Much later on, at the final light of day, you both arrived at the Hidden Sand. Itachi didn't even need to work his genjutsu magic on the sentinels posted at the entry. The streets were overloaded of pedestrians going about their lives; with some heading home for dinner, and others leaving home for the night shift. There were guards in plain sight, and others who remained hidden. Both of you were able to pick out every single one of them and wordlessly gave them no reason to be concerned; since you looked very much like normal travelers seeking refuge from the desert. A few businesses were flipping their window signs to 'closed' while others switched to 'open'. You ambled up to a patrolling ninja and asked him for directions. "Where is the nearest inn? We have been traveling for quite awhile, and would like to rest."

The man permitted himself a frosty smile. "Where are you from?"

Your neutral expression wavered to adopt a convincingly downcast facade. That is to say, it _must_ have been convincing--this man didn't appear to doubt you much. "We wander now, without a place to call home. So much has been lost with all this conflict these days. There are few safe places left to turn to."

His head tilted, cold smile diminishing. You were not the first to say this to him, and you would not be the last. One would think that the Hidden Villages are safe, but more and more they became hotbeds for disaster. As it was, contempt between nations was thinly veiled in neutrality for years, with perhaps a handful of exceptions. 

Having lingered on these thoughts too long, he snapped out of it, realizing that you both were awaiting an answer. His eyes moved from you to Itachi thoughtfully. With a film of dust and sand covering you both from head to toe, it made for an unremarkable appearance; and the sentinels at the front gates had seen fit to let you in. That was good enough for him, but these days, one could never be too careful. Especially since incidents cropped up here and there with dissidents and iconoclasts on the prowl.

"Follow this street down, take the last left and keep going. You'll see some of the places that aren't at full capacity last I heard. A bit past there are the stores where you can find some supplies and food if you need them." He gestured widely behind him with an arm, and you offered a relieved smile. "Thank you sir. Have a pleasant evening." And you both left, thankful that your own strange eyes were apparently overshadowed enough to seem lackluster. Prominent characteristics would be the very thing that could bring about more questions, and _questions_ were what neither of you could afford. Given your infamy and status, it wouldn't be hard for any person to recognize both of you if they looked long enough. Especially Itachi Uchiha who existed in the criminal world longer than yourself.

The streets were only marginally less dusty than the desert itself, and through them trudged many people like yourselves, most of them carrying packs and looking deeply travel weary and overburdened. While following the directions that were offered by that guard, you'd both begin to see more and more young ninja, likely fresh out of the recent exams. But unlike in the Hidden Rain, these children looked careworn, as if they were thousands of years old. Many were on patrol, and on the way neither of you spoke. Instead, you listened to the snatches of conversations in passing.

"...yeah. Mom wants me to quit the patrol. I don't th..."  
"...optional. I told sis it is my way of serving without..."  
"...trade routes blocked. My team got that mission today..."  
"...don't understand. Lord Kazekage can only do so much..."  
"...leaving tomorrow. I'm really worried."  
"...broke up with me! I know its because he has to go..."  
"...has gotten really sick. We don't know what to do any..."  
"...so sorry that I didn't listen. Things sure are diff..."  
"...has been such a bitch this week, she's being pressured..."  
"...the missions have gotten so hard lately, what happened to..."  
"...needs a medic, but the hospital is full and roads are blocked..."

Yes. A single pass down a street was more telling than usual. What a contrast. Here people seemed (in a way) warmer, though careful of outsiders. Not so cautious (like in the Rain) where they'd say nothing to one another in public, and often whole sidewalks would be silent save for the pattering of rain and shoes. Here there were many people who were currently coming to terms with the fact that they may go out on missions and never return. With what you've experienced since joining the academy in the Hidden Grass Village, up until now, you felt like a tough old veteran next to these rather green young genin and chuunin rambling about the streets, on patrol or otherwise. It was strange to think that way while only being in your twenties. Then again, many shinobi don't live to see their next birthday.

Hearing those conversational snippets gave you an idea however. When Itachi began moving towards a building with a sign declaring that rooms were available, you followed, stood in line, and let him do the talking. The proprietor was a stern, middle aged woman with a pointed face that made you think of a whooping crane. On very long sticklike legs, she stilted down the hall after squawking at a worker dozing off nearby to handle the front desk instead of sleeping on the job. You both followed her, leaving a disgruntled and groggy employee to deal with those next in line. Once out of earshot, this birdlike twig of a woman lowered her voice to address both of you. "You outsiders better not bring trouble under this roof, ya hear? Anyone who causes problems will get tossed out on their 'ear. _And_ I'll report it. We understand each other, now?"

"Of course." Itachi responded calmly, unfazed. He accepted the key from her and then she gestured to the room furthest down the hall. This was the third floor, too. Most of the rooms were shut and dark judging from the sliver under the doors. This lady evidently didn't want you both near anyone else. Either she was starting to fill up this hallway, or maybe she had a beak for trouble. Then again, _maybe_ she was just a bitch. When safely in the room, you set your things down with a huff. "How rude."

"I'm not surprised. Everyone is attempting to be careful, and as 'outsiders', we aren't about to get the best treatment." To punctuate this point, he looked around. It was barely a decent size for two people to reside in together, but there was only one bed. There was a single window covered by partially drawn gray mini-blinds. As Itachi walked over to close them fully, he realized that they were gray because of a film of dust, and would be white if cleaned properly. After, he pivoted to peer in the bathroom, then went inside and ran cold water into the chipped pink sink, splashed some on his face and grabbed a towel to pat his skin dry. "Given that, our money is as good as anyone else's, but I admit this room is expensive for what it is." The bathroom was really small, and with the door open, you could hear him perfectly, but could not see him at this angle. "Yeah. You're right. She's just an opportunistic jackass trying to fleece customers like ourselves out of more cash. An enterprising attitude to adopt when you have refugees from all over trying to get in." You conceded. "And much as I hate to admit it, there's no really effective way to make sure the local authorities don't decide to come barking up our tree. We can probably stick around this place for a couple days, it'll buy us the chance we need to think of our next move. Too bad Anarchy was discovered. That would be a good place to blend in and disappear. And if the price is right, one can even hire people to allay suspicion and give us peace."

"It would also be the most obvious location to search." Itachi pointed out, and reached inside a pocket to extract a pill bottle. He discreetly opened it and extracted two pills, using the running water as a means to conceal the sound. "And the very same people would turn around and sell us out." Itachi popped the pills and drank a palm full of water with them.

You listened to the running water, sighed and rubbed your dusty forehead, a tad defeated, thinking about what he said. Itachi was correct. And to make matters worse it would be hard to find a decent place to stay for more than a week, at least for now. There were no guarantees that your ruse paid off, and there's no way of really knowing. The only way to measure success in this case was if Akatsuki found you or not. Even so, they'd find you both sooner or later. It was bound to happen and you weren't sure what to expect when it did. 

In a subject change consequential of your thoughts, you exclaimed, "I don't know what to _do_ anymore, Itachi!"

In the bathroom, he had been disentangling the filthy cloak from his person and paused to frown slightly at your outburst, his reflection returning the expression back at him. You flung your own cloak and sand-laden scarf upon a coat hook on the wall, not caring whether or not they caught there and hung up. Particles of sand rained upon the scuffed brown floorboards. "What the hell are we going to do now?! If they find us...no, _when_ they find us, I have no clue what to expect from them! We are trained killers. Every last one of us, _exceptional_ at what we do. Does that mean everything in the past is for naught now? The time spent training and learning to work together? I mean, come _on_ , finally we find people like ourselves! Maybe not exactly the same, but I felt like we all understood each other better than anybody else. And now they're going to come and kill us, right? Because none of that matters anymore?"

Itachi exited the bathroom and crossed the space to the coat hooks, listening while hanging up his own cloak and scarf up. He sighed lightly, intangibly. An action which nearly made him cough. His aching throat continued to feel dry. " _We_ are the betrayers here, Saiya."

"..." You were sitting on the corner of the bed, where the footboard would have been if it had one. These feelings rushed out in a torrent, now that the oppression of the desert was on the other side of the wall, and honestly it was as though it came from nowhere. He was right, but this felt wrong. It was as though you were the ones betrayed, and you never handled backstabbers well. Although you were one yourself when it came to departing from two separate ninja 'villages'. The first time you left nothing behind and were without want. There were a complete other set of circumstances between the first and second times you left these places.

"I know. Your own sensei raised you like a pig for slaughter, and you severed him from yourself like a gangrenous limb. It was a bold, if costly maneuver. We both understood what would happen if we left Akatsuki. Technically..." He paused contemplatively. Talking this much in one go was once rare for him, but Itachi became comfortable around you. You're a couple now, after all. Quite a leap in progress from how he initially thought you were casting genjutsu against him to make him think naughty things. "...technically, we did not leave a second country as neither of us were a part of it officially. We were in Akatsuki and were seen by those civilians as the protectors, the avengers, the heartless killers. Murderers who are kept on a short leash by their vaunted God, with our notoriety providing another invisible layer for their safety. No outsider would dare enter knowingly and gamble life and limb in that way. It is suicide to do so; an unclean, honor-less death."

 _God?_ You thought to yourself, thinking about the past. _There are no gods. There's men and women. Perhaps 'God' is a state of mind. A characteristic of faith. And I..._ You watched Itachi talk, numbly absorbing the words but hardly processing them. This anguish, why did it choose to surface now? Why did it not hurt worse? Where was the pain of separation, of loss, of the knowledge that all this time, even during the ignorance of many years, you lived in the shadow of a man who called himself a God?

"What many do not understand is that an act of betrayal and an act of love can be one in the same." You murmured, watching Itachi approach and sit beside you, shedding grains of grit as he went. "Look at what you had to go through. How many must think you an evil man, Itachi...how many must despise you with every atom of their consciousness. And yet none can ever know why you did the things you did. All proof died with those involved in your past. That Hokage and Madara, and anyone else, no one is left but yourself to teach your brother the truth. And Sasuke would never believe it because of what he has become; after all, no one loathes you more than he. And half of it is through fault of my own. I was to slay Uchiha Madara. And yet I did not. But this doesn't change the fact that I was there. I like to tell myself that I _could_ have done it, if I was seconds quicker to the kill. But I realize that Pein sent me on a mission I couldn't possibly succeed at, perhaps as some contorted test of faith, or a means to be rid of me. One way or another, all evidence died with Madara. Sasuke would have to hear everything from another source. And now, you need new eyes. What will you do, Itachi? Did you have a contingency plan for this?"

He said nothing at first. It was hard to hear those things. Were you really trying to blame yourself for his situation? It wasn't your fault that Yoriwara Kitsuna killed Uchiha Madara. But if she didn't, _you_ were supposed to. And he was counting on Madara to detain Sasuke after Itachi was slain by his own brother's hand. He was planning on transferring Amaterasu to Sasuke during his final moments and triggering it to become active whenever Madara got too close to Sasuke. Knowing Madara, he understood that the man would take Sasuke away and reveal everything to him to gain his trust, or even scathe him and shake the foundations of his beliefs right down to the core of his being, his very damned existence. And damned it was.

_I..._

"These events involving my brother were set into motion before we met. I did not know you and I did not know that Nagato Pein had a student, and had I known, there was no way of determining that his student and the Yoriwara Clan would become involved. Thus I failed to take these facts into account."

_...I..I've lost mine. I've lost my faith. There are no 'Gods'. There's no angels or devils. There's only business, and the path one makes for oneself if one has the strength. And I do. I can, and I shall. If that comes at the cost of more lives, so be it. I am done with being jerked around._

"It was too late then. But its not too late now to make sure our futures don't suck." You gave an awkward smirk. "My apologies. I screwed up big time, getting involved in things. And I'm especially sorry that I broke down like this the second we're alone."

Itachi got up and began pulling his shirt off as he moved towards the bathroom again. "Oh? Then you can show me _how_ sorry you are. In the shower."

Without a comment, you followed.  
_Oh, I'm SO sorry....heh..._


	5. Borrowed Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Travel is prevented completely, and you know that something is amiss. When you decide to figure out what's happening, you end up in a confrontation that goes to horrible lengths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: This past chapter was quite laid back. This one isn't. :3 I do not own Naruto!

Borrowed Trouble

 

The next few days were very hot and lazy ones, but the latter part of the week was blurred in a surge of grit and sun. A sandstorm raged against the walls of Sunagakure and puffed through the roads, restricting everyday life greatly. Though the outer walls prevented the worst of the dry tempest from tearing through the streets, it was no weather condition to wander about in. The general populace found this to be hardly more than a nuisance, as storms like this one were nothing unusual in the desert. 

Although you found it bizarre that this desert storm raged without pause for 6 days, and you informed Itachi that you were going to investigate. It impeded travel, effectively locking you both in to one area and potentially allowing Akatsuki to gain ground, so it might behoove you to make sure this was nature and not design. It didn't take long to get to Sunagakure; certainly Deidara and Sasori could fly faster than it took for you both to get here if they wanted. And it was a disturbing thought to you that the enemy could lurk beyond, waiting to slip into this 'hidden' village and infiltrate each corner until they ruled out the possibility that the betrayers were here. Zetsu could be searching as well, with his uncanny ability to meld into objects effortlessly and reappear elsewhere, plus the sandstorm wouldn't bother him. While you generally knew what to look for in the event that he was on your tail, it would be too late if he discovered your current hiding place as it only takes him a moment to communicate his findings when split in two, which permits him to cover more ground.

Phasing through the walls made easy work of your task and as you progressed along, you could not detect any horribly familiar auras. Actually it was hard to sense anything at all here, even the energies of other ninja whom were obviously nearby. Upon a whim, you flew up above the buildings and hovered. The exterior wall reached very high, so it was a matter of going and floating upon its top ledge. And here is when you realized that this had to be one of the _worst_ places to seek sanctuary in the current situation. Because of one individual.

Gaara.

This was no mere storm. The moment you settled on the rock wall and adjusted your transparent gaze downward, the sand surged up and towered above you by what must have been 50-odd yards or so. But there was a second when you could see straight down, and noted that it was moving in a perfect sweeping motion around Sunagakure's walls, like a second harsh barrier. And it was going at breakneck speed. The manufactured storm reacted upon your approach, and your eyes widened when you felt the crushing pressure of another's chakra. You turned to see the Kazekage himself standing upon a platform of sand hovering level with you several feet away. His black-rimmed seafoam eyes lanced through you emotionlessly, arms crossed like usual. 

"I know you are there." His voice carried effortlessly over the noise. "Show yourself."

But you weren't in a charitable mood right now. You turned to face him completely, remaining in ghost form and _quite_ invisible, at that. Yet, the mere fact that you _couldn't_ detect him until the last second was worrisome. His sand was blocking that capability, and veiled Gaara's presence until he chose to reveal himself.

But he was patient enough, and repeated himself. "Show yourself, Akatsuki. This is your final warning." Gaara must have matured a great deal from the rumors you've heard about him in his youth. Although not too many years ago he was a loose cannon that butchered whoever he pleased, reveling in bloodshed where possible. 

Seeing that you didn't want to honor his request, Gaara initiated the smallest of gestures, causing the dusty wind to slant in your direction. It didn't change your state any, but this came at the cost of great self discipline on your part. His aura was intense. This came with the territory of being a jinchuuriki, though the demon was since removed. But he was brought back to life after the extraction and had the same powers as before. Once the bearer of a Tailed Demon, always stained. Whether or not this was the reason for how his powers were exactly the same as before...even apparently _increased_ in potency...was _not_ a subject for evaluation currently.

But considering that he didn't want to play games and you could barely perceive a flicker of impatience beneath his flawless alabaster facade, you turned translucent and called across to him, venturing a gamble in doing so. "I am no longer with Akatsuki, Kazekage! And I have no quarrel with you or your country!" This could rapidly transform into a dangerous game. Gaara's the youngest Kazekage in history, and that's not for nothing. He's extremely powerful, and that is one reason alone. You knew you could hold your own, and you have taken down your share of foes. But it felt like some of your greater victories did not belong to you, and if it came down to a fight right here right now this would _not_ be counted among those stolen moments. If you had to you'd be the one to kill the young Kazekage, because nothing and no one was about to stand in your way. 

Not anymore, and never again.

"What is your reason for coming here?" He queried coolly, continuing to direct the flow of sand across your barely-there silhouette, with one arm extended across his torso.

You paused, watching him with an impassive countenance. It sounded as though he didn't realize Itachi arrived with you. That's good, but it would be a matter of finding him by accident or otherwise. And if Itachi realized you were in such a severe situation capable of worsening indefinitely, then he may elect to present himself. Gaara's not the only shinobi living in Sunagakure to be concerned about, but he _is_ the most notable. 

"Allow me to answer your question with a question. As long as I harm no one and take nothing, should you really care?"

This response did not please him. Being a man of few words, Gaara didn't want to let this conversation drag on, and it wasn't hard to imagine that you were trying to subvert his attention from 'the others'. He clenched a fist and the sand whishing through you compounded into a tawny patchwork ball, adding on more and more until it was large enough to be a round tomb. 

"Sa--" He began, only to cut off abruptly.

"Nice try." You near-whispered tonelessly, now back to back with him. "Why don't we have a more civilized conversation elsewhere? I'm sure you want to protect your people but if you insist on fighting me...with all this sand over the city now, can you really be conscious of where every last bit goes?" Wearing the usual poker face, you craned your neck to look over his shoulder towards where you'd been a split second ago. There was the sphere of sand hovering and crushing into nothing but itself at the center. Sluggishly it would dissolve away. "Rest assured, Gaara. I am not so easy a mark."

He turned around and looked at you, the platform of sand underfoot propelling smoothly away as he did to maintain some distance. As he backpedaled you faced him and watched wordlessly.

"If you are no longer with Akatsuki, then why are there others here with you?" He asked almost softly. It was a wonder that he could be heard above the commotion of his own technique. But if this query caught you off guard, he couldn't see. The shifting sands and your translucent state were more than enough to obscure his vision. Despite his accusation you would respond patiently, as if speaking to a dimwit.   
"If there really are representatives of Akatsuki here, I am not counted among them. Please understand, I cannot explain my situation to you. It is a very sensitive topic." Could he know that Itachi is here after all? You doubted that anyone knew Akatsuki had a couple of traitors; rogues among missing-ninja. Still, it was wise not to risk divulging further information. Unforeseen issues may develop if he was to believe that there were two powerful vagabonds seeking refuge in his territory, only to attract _more_ S-class criminals. Though, there was potential for turning the situation towards your favor if the world at large continued to believe you both were a part of Akatsuki, but not wearing their colors and rings made it less believable.

Regardless, this was a game Gaara didn't intend to play and he wasn't going to buy a word with the limited information he had. This man did not take kindly to any threat towards his people. He would protect them aggressively and do what he could to guard every last one of them from impending harm. Deidara told you about his battle of grand proportions against the One-Tail's Jinchuuriki. He had the self control to hang on long enough to push that titanic shield of sand he created beyond the city limits, and it did not look easy for him to do. He was severely wounded at that point, and in the eyes of the innocents down below, it was an unforgettable feat of strength etched into memory. Their beloved young Kazekage appeared more concerned about their safety than his own wellbeing when it counted, despite what rancor Gaara endured as he matured. This was nothing to sneeze at.

Up above you, enormous paws formed again and swung down upon where you floated. Gaara didn't manage to strike you yet, but he knew he had to get a feel for what your current state would allow for. You flitted away before the blackened tips of his earthen claws could touch upon his target. You scrutinized him while evading a constant assault. He was comfortable enough to fight you in this place. Whether or not he was underestimating your abilities wasn't evident.

_'Still,'_ You thought to yourself. _I_ really _didn't want to fight this guy. He hasn't damaged a single building yet no matter how close I get to one, and no civilians have been injured. He has remarkable mastery over his powers, perhaps he's got better control now that he doesn't have a demon inside him.'_

It was nothing if not a game of seek and destroy now. Except Gaara had yet to fit his abrasive oversized talons around you; he seemed to be relaxed in bending the storm to his whim. You continued to evade whatever he threw at you. _'And he said there's others. Is that the purpose of this? To prevent them from entering here? I couldn't tell and Itachi didn't say a word to me, I doubt he noticed too. This damn sandstorm is stopping us from detecting any presence within its boundaries.'_

None of this explained how the redhead found an otherwise invisible ghost, except for perhaps your proximity to the wall. You went right by tons of guards and none of them batted an eye. But he only caught on after you left and traveled around for about ten to fifteen minutes tops. 

_'This is not good. I can't keep avoiding him; its not the way to finish a fight. He doesn't want to believe me, not that I blame him, and I don't know that I want to use a temperamental jutsu like Hellfire Tempest to melt down his sand, not after cutting off my hands earlier. The blades I have won't work on this guy unless I get close enough and change to my physical state. His Absolute Defense won't crack easily. This is a_ ludicrous _person to fight unprepared.'_

Pulling some below-the-belt tactics may be your only ticket out of this mess, and immunity to his physical assault was helpful but not the solution. As long as you could maintain Ghost form, he couldn't hurt you. Dodging around forever wasn't an option though. If you could've gone completely invisible again you would have by now, but somehow you knew that Gaara wasn't going to let you off _that_ easy and would not stop until you were found again. This is, after all, the very weakest version of your spectral arsenal. The best ones came out upon death, which (while it makes sense) is a nuisance.

It continued like this for awhile and more people dared to venture outside and goggle up at the fray. With the majority of the sand that'd been circulating within the walls sucked up into the fight above, it was now safer for others to come out, despite not being advisable; but that didn't stop them. Especially Temari and Kankuro. Itachi was there also but he didn't make himself known. He watched from a hidden location.

_'What an annoying woman.'_ Gaara thought to himself after trying to hit you for the thousandth time. If nothing else he could keep you moving rather than standing still and evaluating the situation easier.

"I don't understand." Temari voiced to Kankuro, who was frowning upwards as well. "He can't hit her, but she hasn't bothered trying to approach him. Why? What's the point?"

"Hey, I'm not complaining!" Kankuro shouted while a swathe of airborne sand flew by, nearly drowning his voice out. "This is good news, maybe she can't get to him!"

"......." Temari was quiet for a moment, eyes fixated up above. Intuition told her that wasn't why. "What could she be up to?"

"Whatever it is won't work. No one can escape Gaara's sand, especially here." Kankuro declared boldly, always with the utmost confidence in the Kazekage. Though Kankuro seemed to be forgetting how he'd been beaten before.

_'Except she isn't trying to avoid the sand properly, not really...it's as if...'_

Temari wanted to be as unerringly confident in Gaara, but was too shaken. The sight of her brother struggling was always one that made her want to leap into action and do her best to assist him. But that would be suicide in this kind of battle, and she couldn't exactly fly either. 

Shikamaru went over the new bingo book issue with her a few times when she was in Konoha, and he warned her in regards to this. About a strange kunoichi who can change her body into a spirit and manipulate a variety of tactics and elements. But she couldn't remember what they called you specifically. There'd been a name and a title.

Back up above, you chose not to expend too much energy on overly elaborate maneuvers, so halfheartedly shifting to the side of most attacks would suffice, nearly getting clipped by most of them. Some aspects of your abilities had gone wonky since escaping the Rain, and you weren't able to train and work it out, so it was wise not to tempt fate and allow attacks to keep going straight through your body in case something triggered your solid state. While having hoped that you could reserve the element of surprise by some means, that dream was long gone. Gaara was a fierce opponent and your own patience was wearing thin. No matter how tremendous a victory it would be, you didn't want to deal with this right now when you had yet to learn how to harness all that raw power that cascaded out from the limiter seal removal, which sent most everything out of whack.

It was then that it 'clicked' in Temari's brain.

_'Despite all that chakra I sense, she 's worried about fighting back!'_

Your concentration was waning. It was hard to keep this act up, and if you had your black blades on you, it'd be vastly easier to cut through his defenses. They were chakra weapons and could change states with you, but these standard issue steel blades couldn't do that. Nor could they be used to hurt somebody like Gaara anyhow. 

Yep. He's tough, alright. Right now these weapons were scarcely more than decorations at your waist.

It was as you barely skimmed around an arm of sand that suddenly you felt searing pain and the sensation of falling, and were barely able to contain a yell that threatened to rend its way from your vocal chords. The change occurred so abruptly you had no chance to react. Gaara noticed and took full advantage.

A heavy shadow enveloped your vision and body before you could do anything to prevent it. And then you heard his fatal words, muffled through the dense sand-pack.

"Sabaku Kyuu." 

And the life was crushed out of you. Your nerves had no chance to register what would've been unbearable agony. They, along with the rest of your body, were reduced to a twisted bit of flesh and bone, the entirety of your blood leaking out into an earthen prison. Spots oozed through thirsty sand and made expanding stains of crimson visible on all sides. 

Down below on a rooftop, Kankuro grinned up at a familiar ball of sand while it reddened. "It's over." He turned his gaze to his sister, whose eyes widened up at the sky. "Now I remember what they called her."

"Huh? Temari, I'm telling you it's over."

"The Undying. They called her 'Saiya the Undying'."

"What? But that makes no sense, she's obviously--" He followed her stare, and froze at what he saw, mouth ajar.

The bloodied orb was dissolving and now revealed a different kind of 'ghost'.

The most noticeable change was the addition of sharp bat-like wings. This 'ghost'...if that's what it's called...was practically encased in bandages around any place that you had been injured, which was common amongst any of your death manifests. In this case you were mummified in them, and they were almost solidly stained black with blood. Your hair was longer than usual, almost more tendril-like at the ends, and there were some wisps of shadowy gauze spiraling loosely around the base joints of your new wings to your back. Gaara's usual poker face dropped for a moment, his eyes narrowing shrewdly at this development.

You sighed contentedly, eyes closing for a long second before easing open again. They glowed purple as before, while your form finished altering. When you chose to speak, the wrappings around your lower face developed a horizontal rip, revealing pointed teeth and fangs. "I didn't want to fight you. But you're not giving me that option. Understand that you brought this upon yourself, _Kazekage_." The title of respect came out dripping in venom, made even more harsh in a disembodied voice. Your bandaged hands rose and met in the symbol of concentration, and anybody able could feel a substantial change in the atmosphere. By the second it became more and more suffocating, as if gravity itself multiplied in that instant. Lesser ninja were collapsing from the pressure down below on the streets, rooftops and bridges, trying to push themselves back onto their feet with all the strength of their quaking muscles and nerve. Other folk felt a sinister ripple in the area, but they were spared by virtue of the fact that they weren't sensitive to chakra.

What a rush! This was an _absurd_ amount of energy you never knew you had until Pein's limiter seal was broken. And it _did not_ highlight your good side. But that's not the very worst problem with it. The scariest part was that you weren't really in the driver's seat anymore. You were suddenly pushed aside, and rage was at the helm. You could do scarcely more than watch.

Many arms of sand rocketed straight at you, and when you opened your mouth...there was silence. A skull-piercing psychic shriek parted from you and resulted in a concussive shockwave that dissolved the bonds of chakra holding Gaara's sand together, causing it to rain down upon the rooftops below. Gaara's eyes slammed closed and he gritted his teeth in a snarl, hands flying to his ears like so many others who survived it. Not that this helped. It was a wretched wailing noise dragging jagged nails down the inside of his forehead and he was left dazed, and without a moment's notice to prepare a defense when your body sailed through the air to him, every wing stroke disturbing the sand before it could reform properly. And you _would_ have run him through. Except a puppet was in the way of your left arm was extended, fingertips together and straight, palm flat in a spear-hand, went directly through the shield that puppet propped up to save the momentarily incapacitated Gaara. Your body wrenched its hand and wrist from the smoking hole created there, and wheeled upon the pathetic wretch who 'intelligently' got between a spectral monster and her prey. 

Outraged, another howl tore through them and a second shockwave sent fractures spider-webbing throughout the puppet and its shield, you backhand-slammed the offending thing away, and shot directly for the one who could no longer control it. Kankuro was distressed to realize his chakra strings snapped apart whenever this...this _thing_ screamed. He barely avoided being hit, and the fractured puppet bulldozed into the roof where he'd been standing, caving in a portion of the attic.

Temari pulled out her giant fan, opened it fully and swung out a gale-force wind to try and pull your attention away from Kankuro, who for the moment was defenseless without the chakra strings to manipulate his puppets. He hastened to reattach them and barely managed to do so. His defensive doll, Sanshouo, was worse for wear now and he was about to try a Black Secret technique with his other two, but Gaara had gotten himself together by then and shielded them with a floating carapace of sand.

This elicited an infuriated shriek from your out-of-control self, causing the sand to dissolve only halfway since Gaara was more seriously focusing on keeping it together to protect his brother and sister. You turned and faced Gaara, absolutely _livid_ , and flashed out of sight. 

If your rational mind was present, there'd be no sense in attempting to fight these cutthroat instincts which boiled up violently inside you. You watched and did nothing more but let your body propel itself through space and towards the target, plunging translucent hands through earthen defenses and into the warm, firm flesh of your enemy's belly. Gaara wasn't able to stop it from happening when it did. A burning smell resonated from his wound and your eyes relaxed, dancing with ecstasy at the sight of that dense crimson wave as it rolled down from a gaping, hissing wound with a hand made out of pure chakra still enwombed within it. You stared dreamily down upon him. That expression he wore...his pain must be indescribable. Legendary, even.

What pale skin you could see, how flawless it once was, and how easily it displayed the delicious red of his regal blood...it was god damned _intoxicating_.

"GAAAARAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" A man cried out _so_ loudly that it disturbed you from this grisly, gorgeous image and 'the monster' growled thunderously both inside and out. She (You) couldn't feel this wonderful ichor. She (you) were not solid, so it didn't coat the fingers or seep up to the wrist in a softening, warm current. She (you) became impossibly frustrated with that knowledge, and turned as fast as possible upon the offender.

Strange, how this creature could be the very reason why you couldn't tolerate certain noises. She (you) could scream like a banshee and use that voice as a weapon, but for whatever reason, anybody else making a single sound was unacceptable and punishable by death. Call it what one will, it didn't change that fact that this young man, who watched his brother fall from the sky without so much as a gurgle, had very nearly sealed his own fate.

All the while Itachi watched from his outlook. He was able to discern how far your sound-based shockwave attacks would reach and stayed away so that he didn't alert you to his presence. But the next deafening noise surrounded everything, and as the huge sandstorm Gaara manipulated around the city limits crashed to the ground, a gargantuan cloud of dust seemingly enveloped the world, providing the cover needed for Temari to bring both brothers with her into hiding before something _worse_ happened. She was of course angry, but remained able to keep a cool head. In this situation, somebody had to, and it looked as though Kankuro claimed the right to rage, leaving her with the role of being the responsible one.

The desert went motionless and did not provide a wind to push away the stagnant dust cloud, so Itachi used this opportunity to draw closer while the demon-you, for some reason, wasn't acting.

 

_In That 'Far Away' Place..._

Everything went dark. All you could remember was hitting the roof of a large building where Kankuro had been. Now it was this.

You thought you could hear footsteps echoing, and your eyes slowly opened, revealing a scant line of brilliant white, but it was so blinding you had to close your eyes quickly, as if not prepared to awaken from slumber. The footsteps drew closer, and you tried opening your aching eyes once more. As you did, you began to feel pain again, and the world slid into focus. Beneath you was a pool of inky fluid, and you thought you could see it splattered in a trail from somewhere else to where you lay. When you attempted to move your head to see better, it was as if your nerves reconnected and paid you back for all the things you couldn't feel as a ghost. Your crushed mouth parted in a soundless scream, since your throat was collapsed from the sand coffin that slew you. Your limbs would not respond. You couldn't even move your head anymore, even if it was only the tiniest movement that spurred the onslaught of torment you were experiencing now.

This body of yours was indisputably shattered beyond use. It was amazing you could hear or see like this. That dark liquid below you was spreading so slowly you wondered if time stopped, if it were not for the sound of those footsteps drawing nearer. They were so much louder, and you wanted to curl up in a ball and cover your ears, do something, _anything_ , to shut the noise out. 

An unyielding hand grasped the front of your clothes and lifted you up easily. Your mouth opened as if to bellow an expression of pain once more, but nothing came out, and you were now being held up in the air as if you were nothing but a dripping pile of bloody rags, and sickeningly familiar concentric grey rings were staring unblinkingly at you from this intruder's face.

"You didn't appear _ready_ yet, you were not _prepared_ for that; in no world could you escape your fate, Little Saiya, not by cutting off your own hands and not like this. Now that I know you can call upon such strength, I realize that we underestimated your capabilities. Never again."

Who...who was this? Was it really Pein? How was he here? Where IS here?

"Do you see now?" His voice was a subzero hiss of contempt. "I am the one who made you what you are today. I can also be the one to undo what was done. 'Saiya the Undying', indeed. That is a mockery. If only they understood the way to make certain you are dead...relieving you of your traitorous life is pathetically simple. Step two, however..." He stopped momentarily, a short dark metal bar slid down his sleeve and into his waiting hand. "...is the hard part." There was a shh-ING! that resonated jarringly as the chakrasteel bar telescoped into a spear.

You were listening to this man talk. Pein hardly even sounded like himself anymore. But now that he angled the point of that spear towards you, you felt an urgency unlike any other bubble up from within, and tried desperately to move. To do something, anything to escape this man's death grip. Much to your own amazement a hand obeyed, and you could barely see the blood caked digits latch upon Pein's outstretched forearm. A thin, choked noise issued up from your compacted windpipe, and your shattered body quivered weakly in his grasp.

And when you were sure he was going to make the final blow, the room turned red. All colors inverted, and behind Pein, the three black tomoe of a Sharingan split open, and then began to rotate, elongate and adjoin to form a three-pointed shuriken figure. Pein was now immobile.

"She didn't appear ready?" Itachi's voice echoed as a murder of crows and ravens blistered through the fabric of Pein's cloak, pecking, cawing and cackling as they did so. "If it is change you wanted, then even you must realize that change is impossible in this fog of ignorance. And you strove to keep her blind."

Pein's fingers loosened and you dropped, but drifted painlessly like a feather to the ground and landed softly, as if your ragged self weighed nothing. Your lips parted to form words, but none came out. Oh well. It didn't hurt anymore. Now you were safe. Limited concepts were the simplest to handle right now, and all you could do was lay there and watch, barely comprehending what was going on.

The intruder Nagato couldn't respond to these comments and questions. His body was locked in place as the birds tore at his flesh like carrion and fluttered towards his shoulders and face to try and pluck out his eyes. He couldn't stop them. This was a Tsukiyomi unlike any other and there was no way to free himself from its agonizing grasp. How could that be?! It felt as if he stood there and was eaten alive by ravens and crows for a thousand years, and all he knew, as his body was reduced more and more to nothing, were the next words spoken:

"Be gone, and never return." 

Pein was banished from this distorted place, and then, as the redness of Itachi's hypnotic eye faded, so did your own sight, and knew nothing more until you awoke.


	6. Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You awaken after your ordeal, and you and Itachi set out on the road again.  
> But the conversations you both have are rather stirring, to say the least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: WOOHOO! There's a badly hidden Indiana Jones reference, cookies for anyone who catches it!

Realization

 

How long had it been since that confused moment when Itachi saved you from the manifestation of Nagato Pein? No, he didn't _just_ save you. It wasn't quite as small as that. He banished Pein from that place where your energy and your body trade places during the transformation that is death. When Gaara pulverized your body, it was a wonder your overall physical form could stay intact, even in 'that other place'. But when that fate befell you, Pein took the opportunity to strike. And you were _beyond_ fortunate that Itachi somehow figured out what was going on and showed up to circumvent Pein's last move.

Although beyond that, when you passed out, your dreams took on the shape of worries that continued to circulate your mind even as you awoke at last. 

You saw nothing but darkness at first, but as your pupils slid into focus you realized you were blinking through the shadows of a room with the curtains drawn. Additionally, it wasn't the same room from before. You tried to move and straighten up, but found it very difficult to do so, and instead attempted to figure out where you are based on what you could see for now. Even that minute effort proved a bit much in your current fragile state. At first you panicked a bit, worried that you were back in your apartment in the Hidden Rain and that you'd been caught while unable to defend yourself. You hurled yourself into an awkward sitting position and looked around the room, the old bed frame giving a metallic creak of protest. The movement caused your head to spin and you wanted to lay back down again, but if you were in any type of danger then resting longer was absolutely out of the question.

Thankfully though your eyes adjusted enough to realize that this was not the same as your former bedroom at least. The two windows were more narrow, and the draperies were very different. This bed was also a mere twin-size without a headboard or footboard, and the one door in here was also not identical, nor was it in the same location. A sense of relief washed down the momentary panic, but it quickly traded for puzzlement. So if this was not the same hotel room and this definitely was not the Hidden Rain, where could this place be? And where was Itachi?

Glancing around further, there was literally nothing else in here but the bed. It didn't bode well. What happened to your supplies? If Itachi brought you here he should have left them nearby. And you weren't restrained in any way. So at the very least, it was unlikely that you became somebody's prisoner. How long had you been out, anyway? 

Shifting your legs gingerly over the edge of the little bed, you felt a bit cold once the blankets were left heaped beside you, filling in the slight dip of the bowed mattress. You waited for the excess dizziness to clear up, and once it seemed alright to stand you arose, a hand pressing to the wall for support. You didn't feel any worse from only standing, and easily enough managed to step towards the windows, where you cautiously drew one of the draperies back enough to peer through. It was dark outside also, but there was no sand storm out there that you noticed. Truthfully it was hard to see much out there at all. The sky was starless and the moon was also absent from sight. It'd make sense to try and sleep some more, your aching body was telling you that it wasn't ready to be awake yet, but you didn't care too much about that. It may be night, but you had questions and wanted answers, so that in mind, you walked barefoot to the door and twisted the knob. It was a little stubborn, as if the door wasn't the proper size for its frame, but sure enough it popped open reluctantly and you found yourself in a short hallway, enduring another gush of cool air that made you shiver, and you glanced down at yourself before proceeding: your clothes from the day of the fight would've been unsalvageable, and you were wearing an oversized gray men's shirt that fell to mid-thigh, though your legs were bare. Since there wasn't anything else to put on back in the room, it was best to go forward and ignore the cold. 

There was one door on either side midway down the hall, and at the end was an empty threshold. As you approached you thought you could hear a television with the volume on very low, but you couldn't make out any of the words. Right past this doorway was a mid sized kitchen, and through there in the following room you saw light flickering against the walls. You glanced around, hoping to find something to use as a weapon (just in case), but if there was a knife drawer you didn't know which one it was. Everything in this house so far looked old and generally unkempt. Given their worn, splintery appearance, the kitchen cabinets and drawers were probably as stubborn as the door from the previous room, and as creaky as the aged bed frame. If all you would end up doing is drawing attention to yourself in here with unwanted sounds, then it was best not to bother. Until you knew where you were and whether or not there were enemies involved it was best to err on the side of caution.

Although honestly, you were a little wobbly and couldn't detect any chakra. You tried not to think about it, because there really was next to nothing you could do to defend yourself in this condition if it came to that; utilizing a jutsu to protect yourself was unwise, as you didn't feel fully recovered. Oh well. Here goes nothing.

You followed the closest wall and walked towards the next room, apprehensively curling your fingers in the hem of the shirt's long sleeves. The television was on in there and you could hear snippets of the local news, and in between babblings, the definitive swish of steel on steel, as if a blade was being sharpened. That would be enough to push a coward back to the kitchen and blunder around for the knife drawer, creaky or not. But you went to peek around the corner as discreetly as possible and almost collapsed with relief.

Sure enough, it was Itachi, and he was working on sharpening his katana while watching the news. He smirked the tiniest bit without removing his gaze from his work. "I wondered how long it would take you to muster up the nerve to get in here."

You crossed the room and dropped weakly onto the end of the couch he wasn't using. This piece of furniture wasn't really noisy even as you deposited your weight upon it, but its upholstery was very faded and frayed in places. Asking him how long he knew you were there would be a pointless and, frankly, _embarrassing_ question. Instead, "Where are we?" You croaked, and then coughed dryly into the crook of an elbow. Itachi paused long enough to hand you a canteen, which you uncapped and drank from greedily, glad for the water. "We are in a border town. After what happened I took you and left."

"A border town of where?" You queried a touch breathlessly, and then continued emptying the canteen of water into your stomach. Even now you couldn't sense his chakra, as if Itachi himself was an apparition of sorts. It could be due to your condition, or, more likely, he was concealing his energy signature to prevent unwanted guests from turning up.

"Sunagakure." He answered, watching you a bit warily.

Now that the canteen had almost nothing left in it, you stopped and tilted your head at him before reclining against the sofa, folding your bare legs up onto it with a shiver. "Is it far away? How'd you get me here without raising questions?" You thought of also asking, 'and why am I wearing your shirt?' but decided against it. Maybe he thought he was doing a good thing by changing you into a more comfortable, roomy shirt for bed. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen you naked, so you hardly felt violated.

"This town sits on one of the only trade routes that has not been blockaded. It was a simple task of finding a trader willing enough to transport us here."

"Yeah but Gaara knew about me. He would have had his patrols on the lookout, and I'm fairly certain that he suspected you were there. They wouldn't let us go without a fight."

"Whether he knows or not is irrelevant, he hasn't been seen in public. You landed him in the hospital, and the rest is being kept quiet. As for me, it was easy enough to find a pair of traveling merchants I could trick into believing that I needed to leave the country in order to find a doctor willing to treat my injured wife. They would have been willing to bring us all the way to the end of the trade route in the Tea Country, actually. Very trusting individuals, both of them."

"Makes them easy to dupe, huh." You said, eyes falling upon the television. The local news was currently on the weather, but a few minutes later the news anchor revealed that there was to be a Five Kage Summit in the land of the samurai. While watching though, your mind was elsewhere and you attempted not to blush at the knowledge that Itachi referred to you as 'his wife', even if it was only part of another ruse. You felt rather pleased. He could've come up with any number of lies, but out of those, he chose that one.

"So what's next? Do we take them up on their offer to travel down the rest of the road, or do we split off from here? Its possible we'd put them in immediate peril if we do stay with them." You voiced, huddling against the couch cushions, hugging your knees. Itachi was not shivering, he might be plenty warm...but alas, with how he was surrounded by the contents of the supply bags, it was impossible to cuddle and steal some of that warmth. He was probably enjoying the sight of those legs of yours anyway, bare and beautifully toned as they were.

"I believe we could go with them a awhile longer, though not by much. I agree that it would endanger them. They _did_ assist us when we were in need. Death would be a poor payment for their help."

You nodded in agreement. Itachi wasn't the heartless man the world knew after all. It turned out that everything he did was to protect his brother and his nation in his own twisted way, he did what he could with what he had. That being said, he rarely hesitated to take a life if that person was absolutely expendable and there was no avoiding it. Itachi let everyone think that he was a stone cold killer and played the part with nary a flaw. "Then perhaps it's best to vanish again. We're in a border town, so what's on the other side of the line?"

"The Land of Rivers." 

As if you didn't already have chills trickling down your back, that name would initiate another one. The Land of Rivers is where the old Akatsuki hideout was before it was destroyed. It is also where you faced off against Madara, and witnessed his honorless death at the hands of a Yoriwara. That country contained a lot of history in its borders. "Well maybe they won't think of looking for us there right away, there isn't anything of interest in the Land of Rivers, and it _is_ effectively enemy territory for us right now. That bastard could very well have stationed some people out there to salvage anything possible from the remains, there was a lot of important documentation and other things that could've survived in the debris."

Itachi nearly shook his head. "This is the only trade route left open, making our path fairly obvious. Nagato Pein will know what happened and that you aren't in good shape, making travel over undeveloped terrain implausible. Either we would remain in Sunagakure, or we will have gone through here. Currently we are in a house where the owner hasn't been home for a few days and according to word of mouth, won't return for the duration of the month. No one saw us enter here."

"So officially we _aren't_ here, but its a matter of being found." 

"Yes."

You slumped in place. Why did things always have to be so complicated? "Oh, how the mighty have fallen." You mumbled. Itachi did not indicate whether or not he heard that, but just as well you preferred that he didn't. 

"On the bright side," You began slowly. "They announced a Five Kage Summit. But its a month away. Probably so everyone is able to set aside what they're doing and make their way to the appointed location. At least its a prime spot for the lightning bolt that is vigilante justice to strike next. Maybe Akatsuki will cut us a break on the chase with that. I won't get my hopes up though."

"See that you don't." Itachi said while putting away his katana, and then changed the topic. "You aren't feeling much better, are you?"

"No. I'm not. And I'm equally unsure about what really happened back there. That was one hell of a power surge. I literally couldn't control myself! I wonder if that's how it feels to be a jinchuuriki...y'know, sans angst and stuff. Say, I'm not one right? You all really have let that entire litter of cats out of the bag, right, no more secrets?"

Itachi afforded you a look that, if you didn't know him, would crystallize your soul into ice. The, 'how-dare-you-ask-me-such-an-idiotic-question,-woman?' look. Or that is what you thought it was anyway. "Er. Uhm. Right. Sorry that was stupid, I won't do it again. But can you blame me for wondering after everything that's happened?"

He didn't answer and resumed putting some items away neatly into one of the satchels. You watched for a moment then sighed, turning more serious. "I'm sorry for being a burden." He paused and looked up at you, brow mildly furrowed. You smiled thoughtfully. "If it weren't for you, I'd be dead. For real. You've done so much for me and I have given nothing in return. What can I offer for all that you've done? You're one of the only people I know who hasn't tried to backstab me. And I know that you won't--"

"My eyes." He interrupted. "If you feel that you need to give something in return, then heal my eyes, permanently, without the need to take from my brother."

Your smile broadened. That was a quick response. But it was an adequate one, nevertheless. "Yes. That'll do nicely, I think."  
Although it would make for a tyrannically hard task, you'd see it done. You began that type of research long ago with his kin as test subjects, and now you'd be short some guinea pigs. The research notes were, if not destroyed, sitting under several tons of rubble. But you had to wonder. While in the past you _did_ check to see if anything survived the decimation, you didn't execute the most thorough job of it. Your poisons, liniments and other materials encased in fragile glass were certainly gone, but the notes themselves were paper, and it was possible they were still there. But they'd be damaged and hardly worth salvaging. Thankfully, you remembered everything just about, but even with a photographic memory, it was preferential to have the physical copies in your possession. You sighed with the knowledge that you had an arduous toil ahead of you. Eternal life and youth could wait, no matter how curious you were about it. When it came to that one day...and it certainly would...you would need to decide whether to keep that knowledge for yourself, or obliterate it so that no one could have the capability of re-creating the means for such shallow eternity.

"At any rate Itachi, I have a destination in mind."

"Where?"

"The Land Hidden in the Clouds."

He inclined an eyebrow but thought about it as he continued to pack. You watched him. "I understand that I won't exactly be welcome there with how I took their beloved jinchuuriki away in public. And I killed a few children in my way. But it will hopefully shake Akatsuki off for awhile; or at least long enough for us to plan our next move. I also hope to accomplish some things while we're there."

"I thought for sure you'd want to visit your subordinates."

You blinked. The change was small, but as of late, Itachi's typically formal speaking habit was loosening up. "We could, but it would take us very close to the Hidden Rain all over again, not to mention that they're still constructing a new headquarters. That may or may not put us out of sight for a little while; but primarily I wanted to see what I can do to ingratiate myself with the Yoriwara clan. Or at least gain the favor of a couple of them."

Itachi eyed you a little mistrustfully for a moment. He immediately thought back to the whole 'eternal life and youth' business, as the Yoriwara would be a logical place to start. But he wasn't positive that was the objective here. You could try as much as you wanted to get friendly with them but no matter what you attempt, it wouldn't be easy. The Yoriwara Clan was able to stifle most rumors surrounding them; but word of their rather draconian sense of justice still leaked out and generated enough fear to keep most outsiders at a healthy distance. If something was done to wrong them in any way, they'd probably cause you both equal or greater discomfort. 

That being said, Uchiha Itachi is no coward and was hardly about to back down. He'd prefer to approach with caution instead if it must be done.  
"Sure. We should begin planning our route then."

"Preferably with as few deviations as possible." You suggested eagerly. "We are going to need all the time we can get. These people are going to be extraordinarily resistant. But if I can find the one called Kitsuna, perhaps we can get off on the right foot. They'll prove to be indispensable allies."

Itachi nodded thoughtfully. At least it was a destination, and you were right anyhow. After your recent detrimental visit to that nation, Akatsuki probably wouldn't start looking in Kumogakure for awhile. The Raikage is a known hothead, and he would be searching for his brother's assailant; which makes the Cloud a silly place to hide. But if the Five Kage Summit was due to start in a month he would leave at most one week early to get to the Land of Iron. If he was smart about it he'd leave middle of the month to get there, since it is rather far away from the Hidden Cloud by land. And there's a lot of war-born turmoil between both locations, therefore complicating the process of travel. While watching the news, you voiced these thoughts, and Itachi seemed to think it a most practical opinion. "We've no way of knowing when he's going to leave, but it shouldn't be hard to lay low if the Raikage is around when we arrive. With him gone, it will be easier to move undetected." He said, and you agreed. "Yes. And that'll buy us the opportunity we need to find the Yoriwara compound. I know this is a tremendous gamble, but my gut says to go for it and see what we see. Of course, my gut continues to feel like a big sandy raccoon-demon fist is buried in it..."

Itachi almost laughed at that, and you smiled wanly. "Perhaps they have some insight on how to mend the permanent damage from your doujutsu. No offense, but based on what little I saw, the Yoriwara have what must be the most ridiculously detrimental kekkei genkai I've seen. I can imagine that it has some type of negative effect, and if so, they've been around long enough to figure a way to counteract it, if there's a way to be had. It's all conjecture right now, but it's the only lead I have, and it's a direction to go in anyway."

"What part of 'yes' don't you understand?" He asked, and seemed amused at your ramblings. But it was nice for him to hear it, and you both knew that. What _you_ needed was a project, and what _he_ needed was a solution. Both of you required an objective. And now that you'd slipped the leash, as if by magic your schedules were free of nonsense. But if you were to split ways, this is when it'd happen. Thankfully Itachi appeared to have no plans to go elsewhere, as he promised to stick by you until the end. But you never -really- returned the sentiment, and occasionally, that concept rose to the surface of your mind. Had it been 'me me me' all along? One night after a small argument he looked you in the eye and gently asked, 'Am I only here for you, or are you here for me as well?' And far before that, he had other ways of asking the same question, though in a more subtle fashion. Now it was your turn to show Itachi that it wasn't one sided, but hopefully he understood that you've cared deeply for him for a long while now, or else you never would've gotten into that tiny tiff to begin with. It'd been about Sasuke and his intentions. Itachi is a strong man, far stronger than anybody you'd ever known in so many ways. He bore a terrible burden for most of his life. There aren't many who could or would do what he did. 

Itachi kept mentioning that certain factors punched holes in his equations. When it comes to men you are denser than most; but you hoped that what he was trying to say is that he was reevaluating his plans for both of your sakes, trying to discover an answer which didn't land in death. Now he was attempting to find a way where all remaining members of his clan could survive. Alas, he was coming up woefully short on alternatives. It may come to the point where he'd have to let Sasuke get it out of his system and dispel his brother's anger the way he initially intended. 

While Itachi continued to take stock of what supplies were required, you snatched a proper set of clothes to go and change into before you caught a sniffle. You wouldn't be traveling with those merchants again, and they probably wouldn't be ready to move on for days yet anyhow. It still wasn't smart to dress like a ninja, as that always aroused the troubling question of 'where are you from, and why aren't you there?', so you decided to continue dressing like a plain wanderer rather than appear like a deserter and a rogue. So distressed gray pants, weathered brown leather riding boots and a fitted black t-shirt under a green lightweight hooded jacket would work nicely. The color scheme wasn't eye catching, and the articles of clothing were well-worn without being rags. The whole idea of dressing this way was to avoid catching attention; if anybody spoke to you, you needed them to be able to forget you a moment later. The trouble is, not many have purple eyes, so you'd have to grab a pair of shades in town later. At the edge of a desert that shouldn't be hard to accomplish at a moment's notice. Itachi was lucky; true black eyes are uncommon, but not _quite_ as rare.

After dressing you rolled your jacket sleeves back to the elbow, and looked down upon the broken-down bed you awoke upon. There weren't bloodstains or any kind of hint that a stranger slept here, so you pulled the blankets taut around the bed and returned to the living room. "I'm gonna need to pick up glasses in town before we leave." You averted your gaze from Itachi to the worn windows. Around the edges of grubby blackout shades, you could see a scant line of dawn sunlight, then turned back to him. "Say, did you sleep any?"

"Couldn't. I was not tired." Key phrase: 'was not'...past tense, meaning he _is_ now.

"Well, do you want to? Once the stores open I can head into town and pick up supplies while you rest."

He hesitated, considering it. Tempted though he was, Itachi declined. "No. I got us in here when no one was around, you won't be able to get back inside with the supplies until after nightfall. It is best to avoid leaving witnesses where possible. We should get what we need and leave straight after." He was correct, of course, but you felt bad that he'd start out on this journey without a wink of sleep. You looked down and realized that you were wearing that favorite old brown leather cargo belt, and reluctantly unbuckled it and stowed it away in a bag. There weren't many like yours; most ninja used regulation tan canvas cargo belts, and yours would be easily recognizable to anybody who knew you. You snuck a slim tanto knife in each boot and turned to Itachi, sighing. He did a nice job of dressing ordinarily also: clad in properly-fitting charcoal gray jeans held up by a black leather belt, blue shirt and dark shoes, he was perhaps more nondescript than you were. Though you couldn't help but notice how that t-shirt made his well defined upper arms look fricken' _awesome_. One almost expected tattoos. 

_'Though,_ you thought to yourself, _'It may not always be so.'_ His physique belies the illness beneath, laying dormant for now, but you sensed it long ago. Itachi never spoke of it, and he likely believed you didn't know. You weren't so easily tricked. There were miniscule signs that his disease was starting to come out of remission or that it never went docile to begin with; but he hid those indications aptly whatever the case. For so long now, you wondered if he intended to tell you, and knowing it was deeply personal, you said nothing to him on the subject and continually pretended that you had no clue. Maybe this was another driving factor behind his decision to let Sasuke take him down one day...that, and profound remorse for past actions. His was a chain of events set into motion before you knew him. _'In the end, its not my fight.'_ You reflected solemnly. _'He didn't want me to become involved but I got thrust headlong into it by Akatsuki. And he made a stupid joke about his brother that I took too far, no matter the reasoning.'_ You almost grinned lopsidedly, but didn't. 

_'I guess it's a good thing that I realized too late that the Sasuke I stabbed in Konoha wasn't the real deal.'_ But you hadn't told him yet. Come to think of it, you didn't remember revealing anything to Itachi of what happened in the Sound Ruins. 

You both went into town now that it was light out and shops were opening, and the streets were already clogged with traders and civilians in the open-air bazaar. It was easy to blend in with the crowd, because there were plenty of travelers filling the spaces in-between market stalls and stores. Most had the same dust-caked appearance and the vacant, troubled stare of those who were scarred and dislocated by war...families both whole and fractured, wanderers from just about everywhere, and street urchins careening underfoot, many of them attempting to pickpocket the unwary. As you walked along a triad of children bumped into you and as the oldest bowed her head and apologized, the very smallest of the bunch slipped to your side and attempted to nick your wallet, except he mistakenly grabbed for the wrong pocket. But the child gave a squeal of protest when he found your hand closed firmly around his bony wrist, and he wriggled to escape. "H-hey! Let go of me!!"

"AH! I'm so, so very sorry, he doesn't know any better--" The girl began spouting apologies again with a slightly shorter boy next to her, nodding as if to confirm it, but their act was fake. You felt your new shades slide down the bridge of your nose a little when looking down at the kid who was making a scene, and turned just enough to catch Itachi watching out the corner of an eye. With a sigh, extracted your wallet from another pocket on your person, let the child's wrist go, and crammed some money into the teenage girl's filthy hands. "Here. Get yourselves something to eat, and never bother me again." You walked past them, and proceeded to pick up the last of the supplies. When you got what you needed and found a bench to sit down and pack the purchases away, Itachi was right next to you, doing the same. "You gave them money instead of taking away their lives." Was what he said, and you knew he was right. You were known not to discriminate based on age when it came to killing. "It would seem so." You consented, not looking at him as you cinched a full pack closed.

"Was it only so our cover wasn't blown?"

You zipped an outer pocket on the bag, and sighed almost dismally. "I thought you'd be happy."

"Oh, I am, but I wondered if it was only for that reason."

"Don't mistake me, there was a moment where I considered it. But I learned something about myself in the Hidden Rain that I never realized before."

"Oh?" 

You both arose from the bench, shouldering the packs. There were other supplies kept in scrolls hidden away within them, but having scrolls visible on your person would identify you as a ninja, and neither of you wanted that right now. So for now you had to carry baggage like any other traveler. "That prick wouldn't let me out on missions, kept me holed up and teaching new medics...even going so far as trying to have them learn the basest Resurrection Jutsu. I learned that there were assassins intercepted who evidently were sent for me. I wanted the distraction though, and went to take it up with Nagato. I'm sure you can imagine how _that_ went."

"Not well."

"Not even a little bit." You agreed a touch coldly at the memory. "See, Itachi...at that point, I'd been so accustomed to murder without a second thought, that _not_ killing sent me into a weird relapse. And I tried to tell myself I wasn't addicted to death, but I realized that I was lying to myself. I was _hopelessly_ hooked on it. I was so angry with Nagato that I went to work and into the classroom, busted their asses as hard as I possibly could until their normal sensei entered the room, and he asked me to ease up on them. I asked if he'd like to help, and of course his answer was yes..."

"You killed him, didn't you." A statement, not a question. He could fill in the blanks.

You tapped your nose.

"Ah. And then?"

"They cried. I tried to teach them the only effective way I knew how, via death. And when they begged, I gave him back. But there were signs long before that."

He wasn't sure he liked where this was going, but now you both were on the road alone about five minutes out of town. There was nowhere to go aside from this way for awhile, so you had to hope that no one from Akatsuki would be heading in this direction anytime soon. "Which signs are you referring to?"

You watched the road ahead, where the land reluctantly sloped upwards and the path vanished into a point on the horizon. This world was half sky and half sand right now, with nothing in between, just like before. The sun was brilliant even now, and you were glad for the sunglasses. Itachi didn't bother getting himself any, but he did grab a lightweight tan hooded coat in town to shade his eyes with. The cloaks from the first desert crossing were stuffed in a pack until needed. "Two things stand out in memory. The first is in Anarchy, that day where I was set up to be used as bait." Itachi said nothing to this. He had felt a modicum of guilt over following through with that whole situation, but he had orders and there was no real way around it with Kisame present. Kisame was loyal to Madara, and while Itachi genuinely considered Kisame a friend, he couldn't allow himself to fully trust the other man. Since you knew he was listening, you continued. "Nagato, as you surely know, instructed me in no uncertain terms that there could be no witnesses. Except I elected not to kill Hyuuga Neji, whereas, without a lick of hesitation, I decapitated the little child trapped in that room with us...a child who was undoubtedly young enough where she wouldn't remember anything of the incident in the future. But the second instance is much different than that." You paused, thinking on it a moment, then launched ahead into it rather than wait for Itachi's response. Might as well before you lost your nerve on the subject. It was strangely uncomfortable. 

"The prison back at that old headquarters, remember it? I discovered that Nagato had my academy team bagged and thrown in cages. And you know what? They didn't recognize me at first, but when they did, they screamed...they accused, they yelled that my first noticeable act was to heal a reckless classmate, that I used to be _kind_..." You broke off uncertainly, feeling very much self conscious now. Though you sensed that Itachi was very much interested, and waiting for you to continue. 

"...I was never great with elemental ninjutsu or taijutsu, not at first, and no one got why. But I didn't want to go into the family business. I cast around for something... _anything_ else I'd be decent at, and hid in the library reading scrolls until I found and learned the Mystic Hand jutsu. Though it was messily done; not anywhere _remotely_ refined in form, and nowhere close to as powerful as it is for me now." With an awkward smile at the memory, you shifted your glasses up your nose. 

"When one of my more overzealous classmates got into a bad scuffle and was hurt, I fixed him up before they could drag him to the infirmary. It just...clicked. I realized that I actually didn't mind helping others. But forming my chakra into anything at all was next to impossible for so long, no one really understood how to help me work with it and the others thought I was a screw-up. That's when Pein appeared. He began by showing me the _proper_ way to use Mystic Hand, then branched away from it to offensive jutsu. When he saw my ineptitude with that, explained how my chakra isn't normal. While all people are born attuned to no more than two elements, which gives them the baseline they need to use their chakra, mine is pure." You glanced over at him out the corner of an eye, to make sure his mind hadn't drifted off in the ramble. But he remained attentive, his alert black eyes focused ahead, so you carried on again. "It has absolutely no bias, zero natural inclination towards one or another. Somehow that permits me to use any of the elements because I have nothing opposing each one, but I was a _kid_. He tricked me into thinking he had some special way to help me use all the elements in one hand, and with the other, I could shape them. I guess kind of like training wheels on a bicycle. I realize that all the glyphs did, was give me a sense of what each element felt like so I could call upon them."

While listening Itachi felt sick with anger at the knowledge of what you'd been subjected to from a young age. That man poisoned a child from the moment he was able. "See, I always thought I was the weakling, but he told me that my sensei was the one who failed me. Pein said that he could help if I accepted him as a teacher. I was so desperate not to fall into the family business and prove my father right, that I agreed."

This was very stirring. Almost numbly, Itachi found his mouth moving to say, "That doesn't explain why he went to find you in the first place, surely there was a motive."

"Yeah. That's been bugging me. I have no idea what it could be though, but Kabuto was alluding to some fact I have yet to learn. He made a comment about how Nagato, 'Intends to use me'. But that doesn't really say anything...I mean, he uses _everyone_ , for fuck's sake."

"True, he does."

"Seriously. What plan makes you go so far as to custom tailor a kid to suit your needs, and how did he even know about me? Then he wiped my memory of the training after all that work. He hardly needs me, those bodies of his cover each possible skill set he ever wanted, there's practically nothing that Nagato Pein can't accomplish on his own. He's a friggin' one-man army."

But that wording was enough to make Itachi realize what Kabuto may have been trying to tell you. 

And he never hoped he was so wrong in his whole life.


	7. Not All Who Wander Are Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Travels continue, but it doesn't take long to realize something is very wrong with Itachi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: There's a surprise embedded in this chapter. Something I said I'd likely never do, but it seemed right to add in there. So yeah. Broke my own rule. Oops.  
> Don't expect it to happen too often. :P I'm not that kind of girl. -blush- (No offense meant, of course, strictly talking about myself here.) Anyway, tell me what you all think? And as always, thanks for the reads and kudos and stuff! <3
> 
> Disclaimer: Yes, I'm aware that the chapter title is a line from Tolkien's poem. And P.S.: there's no cars per se in Naruto, so I'm saying that common folk use wagons and horses. -blink- NO, don't give me that look...hey, whaddaya want, unicorn-drawn carriages? Chimeras, perhaps? Yeesh!
> 
> Also, my possessed playlist began playing, 'Only Happy When It Rains' by Garbage when I began writing that part with Pein and Konan. o.o'

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

 

 

The road stretched forever in one direction, with bends or curves here and there so slight they were imperceptible in the massive desert. There was a concern that Deidara or Konan might fly this way; this is a major trade artery, and it would make sense to check here. As fortune would have it, when a moderate sized caravan of merchants came trundling by they offered a lift to the end of the line in Konoha. Both of you were weary from the relentless sun, and when Itachi readily accepted their kind offer you didn't argue. You could always hop off and go your own way when they drew too close to Konoha city. But that was a ways away, and at any rate, this seemed preferable to lugging through the withering desert. 

The traders were a merry bunch, nattering on and on about their families and current events, but soon they took turns devising ridiculously over-the-top stories, seeing who could come up with the biggest whopper. Sitting in one of their covered wagons and glad for the shade, you leaned against the side with closed eyes and listened to their wild tales. You cracked an eye open and realized that Itachi was doing pretty much the same thing; listening to them while resting his eyes. You wanted to draw closer to him but a few barrels sat in the way; and besides, it was too hot out for cuddling. Instead, you shifted in place and cocked an ear in the direction of the front seats, tuning in for the tail end of a story.

"...and that's how I killed Orochimaru!!!" A barrel-chested man exclaimed proudly, to which his friends exploded with raucous laughter. With your eyes once again closed, his insane claim tugged a halfhearted smile across your mouth. Right now they were pretending to have been the ones to defeat those terrifying Tailed Demons or infamous shinobi, or ferocious bears and tigers. A few stories were about how they saved gorgeously buxom maidens in distress, describing in great detail how 'they' did so. These tales were funnier than they should be because they didn't know much about fighting by comparison, and the majority of them were attempting to fill in the blanks with wild exaggerations. You faded in and out of consciousness in the dead heat while Itachi seemed to be asleep the whole while. You watched him from beneath drowsy, lowered lashes and were once again glad for the lift. Poor Itachi didn't sleep before. The desert tends to sap strength and is no place to have a nap anyway...if you were still on foot, this would become unbearable. It was about thirty degrees hotter today than it was on the first trip out to Suna. Earlier today Itachi was more exhausted than he wanted to admit, with the already pronounced tear troughs under his eyes a bit more noticeable than normal. He seemed paler than usual, too, and neither of these things escaped your notice.

While watching he abruptly gave a cough, and a tiny bit of blood peeked at the corner of his mouth. Then a second cough, this one worse than the first, and his eyes shot open. Itachi clamped a hand over his mouth and chin, but you had closed your own eyes and resumed a slow breathing pattern, emulating sleep. There was a rustling sound and he gave a third muffled cough, presumably into the torn lank of stained cloth you'd seen him stuff in his pocket on occasion. You could barely smell his blood over the aroma of stale alcohol emanating from the front, where none of the traders had taken notice of what was happening. Itachi swallowed the blood and swiped his mouth clean, watching you for a moment before extracting a small orange bottle and a canteen from a pack at his side. You heard the rattle of pills, and the steady 'glug' of the canteen as he drank from it, and the sharp intake of air when he tried not to cough again. Instead of opening your eyes, you meditated on breathing...inhale, exhale....regularly, slowly. Don't let him know that you're awake. Itachi would've said something already if he noticed. Your eyelids twitched, as if in the clutches of a dream. It should be convincing. But when concentrating on breathing wasn't enough, you opened your mind instead to what the merchants blathered on about, envisioning their tales.

Said tales turned more and more fantastical, bent so radically out of proportion that they acquired an epic hue. The latest one was told by the driver up front, whom was bald as an egg and steadily guided the reins with wiry arms. "...and inside was a fire-breathing dragon, so I--"

"--PFFT, that ain't no dragon, it's yer mother-n'-law!!"

Again they would erupt in drunken fits of hysterics, and you would eventually fall asleep despite the volume. You awoke when the wagon drew to a shuddering halt and you could hear the hum of voices outside, permeated by a rustle of leaves upon wind. You sat bolt upright and looked across to Itachi, who was sound asleep. You rubbed sleep from your own eyes with the back of a hand, then leaned around a barrel to peer into the front of the cart and realized that those merchants had stepped out. So you yawned and hopped down from the covered cart. Glancing around, you noted a pair of patrolling ninja wearing the colors and headband of the Leaf. You cursed under your breath... Itachi may not be happy with this news. Nevertheless, you turned back to the cart and pulled the flap back, reaching up to shake him awake. His eyes flew open while his left hand reflexively pulled a kunai out and brought the razor sharp edge close to your jugular in one fluid motion. Being just as quick, you caught his wrist and put a finger to your lips as Itachi blinked more awake, realizing what he was doing. You could feel the tension in his arm slacken, and let go. Such a knee-jerk reaction would frighten the _piss_ out of a lesser woman, if her throat wasn't already slit. 

From the depths of his grogginess, Itachi felt gratitude that you weren't disturbed by this. He once had a girlfriend who learned the hard way that it isn't smart to rouse him when armed, and she swore never to date another ninja again once she exited the hospital. Thankfully, she never blabbed to the local authorities about how she was injured. When they parted ways, he asked after her reasoning, and she told him that it wasn't his fault. Shell shock was a common condition many ninja had to live with. Most learned to sleep with a blade close by and how to pull it quickly, that they may defend against an assassin. Apparently, being a hunted man out on the open road with tensions running high made old tendencies reappear, because this was the first he ever pulled a knife on you for waking him.

You didn't blame him, either. You would've reacted the same way.

"They brought us right into the Leaf." You told him, regulating your voice. "There's guards nearby. Pull up your hood and lets hurry out of sight." He nodded once and did so, jumping out of the cart. You reached across the floorboards and pulled both packs closer, handing Itachi his and shouldering your own, then followed him. He only took a minute to glance around but already he seemed to have his bearings, and you both managed to slip away right as the merchants rounded the bend to look in the back of their cart. But you'd both been so quiet the whole trip long that they may have forgotten until now. The best payment you could offer, with not a moment to waste, was getting away before they got caught for harboring fugitives. A couple of bored-seeming ninja were with them, one of which carried a clipboard to keep a record of what they were bringing inside. Now hidden in the shadows behind a squat building, you chanced to peek around the edge and saw the enormous green gates with red painted symbols open, so another trader could enter with her shipment of cloth. Right outside most major cities, bazaars and open-air markets sprang up alongside the walls like the one you both were hiding right now; amongst a clump of hastily cobbled together shanties, tents and market stalls, not unlike those in the Suna border towns. The biggest difference was that it wasn't blistering hot here and there was more than enough cool shade to be had, and lets face it...with that forest, no lack of places to hide. If you looked far to the side of the bazaar, any clearings or pockets of space between trees were largely occupied with refugees and vagrants. Already there'd been plenty of skirmishes on and off, fires to be put out, and minor towns practically wiped off the map. These people were survivors trying to find a safe place to carve a niche out for themselves or their families. The upcoming Five Kage Summit was called to try and find a solution to this mess amongst many other issues at hand. Itachi wasn't saying anything about it, but you could tell that this whole thing gnawed at his conscience. He only did what he had to with the options he was given, but he's a pacifist at heart, and ultimately he assisted in part with the grand scheme which displaced so many innocents. 

Conversely, you were once considered a good person yourself. But now you were thought of as evil incarnate. What a pair you make.

Itachi didn't want to hang around, the likelihood that he'd be recognized was too high here, so it was wise to hasten along. Plus, the memories could be too painful. He was now a stone's throw from his childhood home and the graves of his family, but before rushing on, you stopped him.

"Hey, wait. I know this might not be the best time, but did you want to...I dunno...go see them? Their graves, I mean? There may not be another chance for awhile, maybe never again."

This gave him pause, and Itachi considered it. You could tell that on one level he would like to go pay his respects. But then, he also felt that he didn't have the right.

"No. I shouldn't." He said at last, and that was the end of it. He moved along and smoothly negotiated a way around the smattering of guards, and you followed with the hope that you didn't manage to gouge an old wound open again. God...with all that happened, you were changing in leaps and bounds, realizing things that you never would have before and reflecting upon your own wickedness with uncertainty. Your world was up in the air, and you had no idea how it would land.

Itachi led the way to a path which curled out of sight past the wall and into Konoha's lush, verdant woods, and then took to the trees. You followed him, knowing this was but the start of the second leg in a long journey to another country. You'd both find that there were thrice as many patrols and roadblocks which complicated the process of reaching the border. With Itachi's knowledge of this region you discovered a whole host of ways around all that nonsense; and were across into the Hot Spring Country, which was considered a peaceful place now and also the land of Hidan's birth. Which is a tad amusing, really, since Hidan is such a violent fellow. As far as anybody was aware they no longer trained ninja here, or at least not openly. In a world embroiled with conflict, that meant they'd either be left alone or torn to shreds as sacrificial lambs at the altar of war. They must feel like they could chance it, or that their alliances were reinforced enough to protect them in their hour of need.

_How_ it worked you weren't sure, but the woodlands of the Fire Nation always managed to remain green far past when they should've turned to their autumnal attire in preparation for winter. It was as though the land itself clung to the vestiges of summer. But over the border into any other country was more...normal. The Land of Hot Springs had erupted into a riot of color, and the ground was blanketed with crisp fallen leaves. Though since they were so peaceful here, these people always kept the roads and paths open and free of obstacles. It was seen as the most subtle and symbolic of gestures, but the message was visible.

Now inside the largest city, you both got a room at an inn by the back edge of town closest to where a cluster of vibrant hot springs burbled out of the Earth. Many were small enough on their own to put tall fences around and divide them from other springs, but there was one large one used as a public pool with a barrier down the middle; one side for men and the other for women. Individuals, couples or groups no larger than five could use the private hot springs if they paid for one of the pricey suites. Since the inn really had no other rooms available with a certain festival approaching, you had to dip into your wallet for an expensive top-floor suite as usual. The sun was already setting under the descending shroud of night. You watched for a minute while strings of colorful lanterns winked alight across town, then drew the windows shut and turned to Itachi, expelling an exasperated breath. "At least its worth the money, I was concerned that the room wouldn't be anything like what they claimed." You crossed the space and shucked your jacket and boots off by the door, having temporarily forgotten the request that guests use the slippers provided in each room as a courtesy. Itachi had done so already. "So hey, its paid for...want to head downstairs and soak for awhile in one of those private springs, if any are open right now?"

This is not a vacation, but after a long run and dodging border sentries, that sounded like a fantastic idea. Itachi agreed, though he was very close-lipped about it. Something was obviously on his mind, so you led the way after changing, and didn't bug him for answers to small questions. You would both head down to the base floor and ask the attendant to indicate which hot spring could be used, and she instructed you to follow the path all the way down one of the last two private hot springs available. It didn't take long to walk there but you realized that it was far enough away that you barely heard the other guests talking amongst themselves on either side of the big pool.

"You've been way too quiet. What're you thinking about, Itachi?" You finally asked, removing your robe and slipped in, now donning a simple royal blue halter bikini. While sighing in contentment at the heat piercing your aching muscles, you watched him remove his shirt and admired his physique for a moment, before ducking under to dampen your black locks; and (of course) that's when he hopped in. You barely managed to push your hair out of your eyes when the sensation of a body pressing yours to warm rock took you by surprise, and his mouth fastened upon your neck. You leaned your head back to the side and relaxed into it, eyes closed. You were slightly unsure how far he was planning to go. Itachi wasn't in a talking mood and hadn't been for awhile now.  
Your fingers skimmed over his body and he was done with the idea of foreplay before it started, his mouth now locked onto yours and one hand dragging the bikini bottom down. Drawing it out a bit would make it easier for you to orgasm of course, and you would've lingered upon the idea, but he was almost painfully hard...how he fricken' hid THAT in public, you had _no_ idea. When girls were learning about flowers in academy, perhaps boys were learning how to cast illusions over their junk.

Rather than stalling you gave in, knowing you'd get yours one way or another. But something seemed... _off_...with Itachi, and it didn't appear fair to push him right now. After pulling his swimsuit down, you wrapped your toned legs around his waist and let him penetrate far inside of you. He wasted not a second and would thrust hard, deep and fast, and you had to stop yourself from giving a small outcry by biting his shoulder (lest the other guests and attendants not THAT far away be alerted). This was sudden, but damn, it felt _good_. And he was far from doing this only for himself. Of course he came first, but he didn't lose interest until you climaxed also, though admittedly by 'other' means. With how pent up both of you had been, awesome sex is what was needed, and it definitely didn't end there. Round two would take longer. It was far slower and less furious...more teasing and taunting, driving one another mad with lust; drawing things out until one broke down and begged for release, only for the other to give it to them. 

And _that_ was the best evening 'out' since forever.

 

_In the Hidden Rain..._

 

Nagato Pein paced, and Konan watched him. They were in the statue's mouth and the city was somnolent as ever, with rain pummeling down around them and drenching their gray world. Deidara and Sasori were sent out awhile ago as a search team and there had been no word since. Konan felt a touch guilty that she let this happen. Pein never reprimanded her for it but she got the impression that he was royally pissed over how things were left, and rightfully so, but he failed to take some things into account. 

"I think it's still too soon to jump to conclusions. Sending Kisame, Kakuzu and Hidan out isn't necessary."

"Yes, it is." He bit out curtly. Pein had been a hair abrupt with Konan since this whole mess went down. This came as no surprise; she felt as though she deserved it. "The longer we wait, the more chances they have to disappear. Measures must be taken immediately."

"For what reason, Pein?" She shot back. "Because you're terrified you'll lose what you worked so hard to develop? Did it ever occur to you that this plan was flawed from the beginning?"

"...." He drew to a halt and stared out over the statue's extended tongue, in the direction that Saiya and Itachi had last been detected. "I can ill afford to let mistakes like this happen." Konan turned her head away and sighed, eyes upon a seam of rust spanning the red tongue projection they stood upon. "You never thought that she would turn on you and do anything in her power to escape. Obviously there was a loose end you failed to cut and she noticed something wrong, or else this wouldn't be a problem." Konan was behind her childhood friend always, but this was a plan that she never thoroughly agreed with, mostly after Pein's beloved pupil became her best friend. And it was Madara's idea in the first place, but it so happened that this could work out as much to Pein's benefit as it could to his own, but he's dead now and that's a moot point.

"Send the others out. I have matters to attend to." Pein informed Konan and turned to leave the statue's mouth, slipping through the door and vanishing into the hall.  
Konan turned and went also.

 

_With You..._

Suffice it to say, the night's fun didn't end in the hot spring. Beyond that, you could both sleep curled up comfortably together in a warm bed and awake when the sky was alight. Considering that you needed to arrive at the Hidden Cloud around when the Raikage was leaving, there wasn't much of a hurry now. You'd traveled quite a distance already and hopefully any trackers were thrown off your trail however temporarily. It would allow a reprieve. This may be the last chance either of you had to actually recuperate, though knowing the threat loomed both ahead _and_ behind meant it wasn't as easy to unwind, even for a short while. Admittedly, this isn't new to either Itachi or yourself.

The urge to hop out of bed and shower nagged at the back of your mind, but you chose to wait for once. There had been several occasions in the Hidden Rain where you slipped out of bed to clean up and afterwards got the impression that he didn't appreciate waking up 'alone' as a personal preference. Though nothing was said on this subject you figured for once that you'd see if this was the case, and besides; there are far worse things than lounging in bed alongside a naked, gorgeous man. 

You closed your eyes and thoughts of last night flitted through your mind. A few years ago you would've been blushing ruby by now, but having a sex life knocked the bashfulness out. He'd been so quiet during the hours before check-in, and you weren't certain as to why, but it turned out to be desire coupled with a lot of overall aggravation. You couldn't blame him. While less conscious of it, you wanted to fuck too, though _unlike_ him you could ignore it for way longer; but the lack of sex would make you irritable eventually. How strange, to of gone from being a virgin for most of your life to realizing that you couldn't go without it for a certain period before getting cranky!

It was a bit funny, really.

About an hour later he stirred and rolled over with a laborious yawn. You set the scroll down you'd been reading and watched him for a second, turning over onto a shoulder. "Good morning."

He stretched beneath the thick blankets, arms reaching over his head, then rolled and trapped your body beneath his without skipping a beat and stole a kiss. "Morning." His normally smooth voice was a touch husky. And of course, under those blankets he was stiff as a board first thing in the morning, which might be why he was already on top of you, and it wasn't difficult to figure out what he had in mind.

So, instead of always letting him be on top you flipped him on his back, and decided to have _your_ way with him instead.

 

Awhile later, fooling around aside, you both had showered and dressed and went out to get some breakfast. Itachi was in a great mood now, and so were you. And it turned out that Yugakure was rather tranquil in the morning. The streets were still festooned with lanterns and banners. Though they weren't lit during the day it added another (albeit unnecessary) layer of color to the profusion of autumn brilliance, and clumps of tourists wandered the streets aimlessly amongst locals. You again considered that Hidan came from here, but despite having traveled and trained with the guy on many occasions he never talked about the village of his origin. And you could see why. It was a tourist trap now, though that made it no less pleasant. Hidan is a violent man and you had yet to see a one armed guard. "Y'know, I think Hidan lived here didn't he?" You asked Itachi, who nodded. "Yes. I believe he did. Why?"

"It's peculiar to imagine that a calm place such as this would produce a masochistic religious zealot with a penchant for torture, murder and destruction."

"Aren't you in the same religion with that 'masochistic religious zealot'?" 

"Oh, come on." You began airily. "I tried it, but to be honest it doesn't work well for me. I'm a healer. I can't really be in that kind of religion. Besides...I believe in business, not heaven and hell. And after extensive deliberation, I find that's the belief which suits me best."

"Sounds like what Kakuzu might say."

"We see eye to eye on many things." You smiled ruefully in spite of the thought. Those two were probably hunting you down at this very moment. "But if you cared to notice, I haven't been wearing Hidan's charm. I only got involved in Jashinism to stop him from running me through when I was too freaking hung over to protect myself. Remember? Then I thought I'd give it a fair shake, you know, to say I tried. Eventually I only wore it because it pissed Nagato off." You'd been very open with him. It was a surprise to Itachi because in the past, the girlfriends he had time for were too secretive and terrified that letting him know anything of their former relationships would make him disappear. But there were days in the Rain when he was between missions and you didn't have classes to oversee, so you'd hang out and talk. A couple of occasions the subject veered towards past conquests and close encounters. And you decided it was best to be open about it, but you both firmly agreed that the past is the past and that's how it was left. Naturally he had more to tell than you did, but with being in ANBU at such a young age, he didn't have a ton of opportunities to screw around anyway. 

You'd find a place to eat and then went back to the inn. After spending the last several days on the lam it was best to stay seated as long as possible. Though as the day progressed, Itachi spoke less and less and you were starting to believe that whatever was bothering him hadn't been cured after all. Now it was nearing dinner and you were out searching for a nice place to dine...continuing to dress quite ordinarily, of course. This may be a couple days to recharge your batteries, but that didn't mean you needed to wave a red flag around for the pursuers. "Itachi are you _ever_ going to spit it out? I'm not used to you being so silent anymore."

"Sorry. I'm not ready to talk about this."

Well that was progress, at least he admitted there's a problem. The urge to press your boyfriend for information nagged at you like an itch in the center of your back, but he needed space. He's not the best at divulging his troubles but then, you're not so great at it either. You hold it in until you're ready to scream, and it comes out in an avalanche. Then you would go down to the prison, grab some unfortunate fool by the teeth and drag em' into a torture chamber. Strangely, you didn't feel so much like you had to unceremoniously rip somebody's guts out anymore, not to mention that luxury was gone. Same as with experimentation. Behind every experiment are a few poisoned rats, but your 'rats' were always human. Perhaps you'd have to invest in buying a batch of white mice for your followers to use for the sake of laying low. No one will go searching for rodents, whereas when it came to human experimentation, somebody was bound to file a missing person report 72 hours later. Then the local authorities will go sniffing around, and that is rather inconvenient.

By nightfall more tourists arrived and swarmed, milling about the streets, ducking into shops or taking a stroll along lantern-lit lanes. Some kind of local event was coming up on the weekend but you and Itachi wouldn't be around by then. It's thursday, and you both agreed to leave saturday morning at the latest, but up until then were going to enjoy yourselves nevertheless. The evening was otherwise uneventful, until Itachi decided now would be a good chance to drink. It was surprising that he of all people suggested it; Itachi never seemed to care for alcohol too much, whereas it was basically a part of your childhood. He liked to remain clear headed, and booze can muddle one's thoughts when drunk in excess. But it didn't take you long to realize what was going on, and _why_ this was happening. 

But while you had some suspicions, you resigned yourself to go along with it. You refused for this night to become a total waste.

One full bottle of Black Sun later, you were pink in the face and giggling. "I'll have you know that you, sir, are going to have a very hard time drinking _me_ under the table! I've been drinking since I was a kid!"

He raised his eyebrows and poured more in each glass, using separate bottles since neither of you drink the same stuff. "Oh, I think I can give you a run for your money." You picked up a glass, clinked it against his and downed it before he did. But it was all booze, no carbs, and since you hadn't eaten much at dinner the alcohol was taking hold more rapidly than it typically would have. When you were completely inebriated, he put you to bed and stayed until you were fast asleep.

And then...shortly thereafter...Uchiha Itachi vanished into the night.


	8. Glass Cannon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next day kicks off what feels like the world's lengthiest recovery mission, punctuated with interference from both expected and unexpected sources. You must keep your emotions under control as you cope with the one death that actually means something to you. While you'd have the world believe that you're doing perfectly fine, you aren't handling it as well as you'd like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: ....BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA CLIFFHANGERRRRRRRR! 
> 
> -Is clubbed- 
> 
> x____x'
> 
> Anyhow, might I note...yes, there was a little baby lemon hiding in there. And no, I don't plan on describing those a whole lot. Also pardon the mushy stuff. It was bound to happen eventually. o____o' I decided that the fight between Itachi and Sasuke should remain as close to canon as possible with minor deviations. It was too epic to leave out. :3
> 
> Soundtrack: 'Cry'- Thomas Bergersen, 'Before I Leave This World'- Ivan Torrent, 'Taste of Blood'- Archive, 'Black Opium'- Selectracks, 'Lucky You'- Deftones.

Glass Cannon

 

Your eyes slid open and the first thing you saw was that Itachi's side of the bed was empty. You listened, but didn't hear the shower. You sat up slowly with a hand now upon your throbbing forehead and glanced around the room, noticing that his katana, coat and boots were missing from their space by the door.

It was as if the hangover didn't exist for a second there. You dropped your hand and shifted out of bed, but didn't bother calling out for him. You knew there would be no answer. Blinking blearily, you rubbed the back of a hand across each eye, then looked around. There's a table by the window, which was laden with bottles but only two glasses, and one was partially full. Your head thundered agonizingly and you didn't think there was anything you could use as a home remedy for the imaginary knife slicing through your brain. Well, as they say...'Nothing like a little hair o' the dog that bit ya'. You stepped over and picked up the glass, about to take a drink, but paused and looked at it suspiciously. Already it didn't smell like alcohol. Cautiously, you took a tiny sip, and realized that it was nothing but colored water. You picked up the bottle--Itachi's, from last night--and realized that it was the same; colored water with a slightly boozy scent from the bottle itself. 

_'Knew it.'_

You turned and glanced around the room a second time, setting the glass down as you did. His pack remained next to his side of the bed. You knelt beside it and opened the top, pawed through the largest compartment, but only a moment worth of exploring revealed that none of his weapons were left. He'd taken them, as suspected.

With a sigh, you flumped down on the bed for a moment, a hand stealing to your forehead once again. _'I wonder if he realized that I knew what he was up to the whole damn time. Did he understand that I was on to him? What if we both knew what was going on and went through the motions anyway? Like some kind of fucked-up, rigged game we both knew the outcome of?'_ Your eyes squeezed tightly shut at the thought, and you allowed gravity to take over. Your back met mattress, cushioning the impact and causing your brains to swirl dizzily in their confinement. The motion should've induced vomit, but not so strangely, you were numb. One pain had overtaken the other. The limited events of the evening prior cascaded back so easily, they were _not_ out of reach through the nauseous wall of a hangover. Remembrance of the unspoken agreement, and every shot you took...every drunken, stupid claim you made...and furthermore, how you chose to let him get away with this.

 

_Last Night, After You Fell Asleep... [ Different POV]_

Itachi moved to exit the room, guilt twisting a serrated knife in his chest. Right before leaving he looked down at her peaceful, slumbering face and was tempted to stay. And he was about to slip out when that same guilt locked his wrist in place upon the doorknob, and Itachi turned to frown over his shoulder, ponytail swaying against his back with the motion. _'I should leave a note.'_ He realized. This was a topic he'd been fighting himself on for hours. Ever since he saw Sasuke moving at the rim of his periphery, purposefully staying out of Saiya's eyeshot and keeping his chakra signature adequately suppressed. 

The only person who needed to notice him was Itachi. 

He could've used a genjutsu to knock her out sooner, but that felt... _wrong_. So he took another underhanded approach and got her totally drunk. This way, he didn't feel as bad, because she were doing it to herself voluntarily. It hurt his heart to resort to such means, but there was a micro-thin silver lining to it. They had a lot of laughs while he waited, and he felt he needed that. One last night where they laughed and forgot serious things. Saiya was typically a cheerful, silly drunk, and a joy to be around at a party when successfully inebriated. This once was no different.

With her alcohol tolerance though, he was held up longer than intended. Eventually she drank so much that she passed out, but he'd seen her recover fast from drinking too much before. While waiting to make _sure_ Saiya was sound asleep, Itachi went to his pack and took out the weapons he would require; that is to say, _all_ of them. While he was getting ready, a weight collected in his gut and he felt his throat spasm into a coughing fit. He barely managed to stifle himself long enough to hurry into the bathroom and close the door. Blood already coated his tongue, filling under and around it. When the shakes passed, Itachi spit the copper-flavored fluid out, rinsed his mouth and returned to sit on the bed and finish preparing. But now he was a touch lightheaded and it felt as though his very insides shivered with weakness, and Itachi shrugged it off. He was accustomed to this. To hiding this from everybody, taking medication in secret and doing the best job he could to prevent anybody from knowing...even his lover, who is a renowned medic. A medic who might've been able to _help_ him, but he didn't think it possible with the way the cards fell. It wasn't a comment on Saiya's abilities, but Pein kept them separate and busy as much as he could manage, and now they were on the run from S-class rogues like themselves. There was no conceivable way she could do a thing before this, and now it's too damn late. She would _try_ , like how she attempted to mend the damage to his eyes, and then promised to do better when it failed. He was deeply grateful that she intended to devote herself to unlocking what would save his sight and allow him to use the Sharingan forevermore without backlash, and sans having to take his brother's eyes. But now she wouldn't have to worry about that.

The last thing he had to do was take a minute to sharpen his katana, though maybe it was a lick of trepidation that had him coming up with little stuff to do before going. He ran a cloth over its surface and held it up; adjusting it to an angle so he could use the highly polished surface to see over his shoulder, and watch the beautiful woman sleeping behind him. He certainly appreciated the sight. She was on her side, and the blankets weren't dense enough to hide her curves. A cascade of shadowed black hair spilled across the pillow barely outside the pool of moonlight, which cast his shadow across her middle, plunging those curves he knew by heart into further darkness. A motion caught his eye, and Itachi realized one solitary tear was sliding down his cheek, reflected in the moonlit surface of his blade. He closed his eyes to stanch additional tears, and sheathed the katana silently as could be. Why was he crying? Because he was going knowingly to his death, which he felt he deserved for what he has done to his family, his little brother? Was it because he did unspeakable things to protect Konoha and its people and played the villain, never to be exonerated in the eyes of those very people he saved? And to top it off, he angled to deceive the _one_ person who stood by him. A bitter smile curved his mouth and he withheld the harsh laugh that threatened to escape along with it. These were things he never permitted to overwhelm him as long as he carried this burden. He wanted to keep a relationship out of the equation because it would complicate the mission, and that was indeed the easiest part to exclude from his plans. Itachi was never one to take the path of least resistance, but women tend to throw a wrench in the works and he could ill afford that. Fate, it seemed, had different intentions for him. It would've felt better to have a drink after all, but that wasn't an option. If he _did_ do shots with her things would get carried away. Then he wouldn't be absolutely clear headed, and that was unacceptable right now. 

It is said that one can sense their end when it is imminent. He knew that if he got drunk tonight, they would lay down together and Itachi's gut informed him that he wouldn't get back up in the morning. Saiya would awaken to a cooling corpse, entangled with her in the sheets. So, this could go no other way. There was something he had to do before the disease took him.

Itachi decided to write a short note and left it on Saiya's bedside table, looking down at her where she remained undisturbed and peaceful, sleeping the effects off. He leaned down and placed one lingering kiss atop her head so it wouldn't wake her, and then left to find his brother to settle the years of bad blood between them.

Dawn's first light glowed upon the horizon like embers clinging to life, and there was a bite in the air. His breath came out in gusts, each one nearly taunting a hacking cough from his tainted lungs. He had an idea of where to meet his younger brother, and he could tell already that he was being followed at a distance.

Itachi emerged from the woods to see a giant building looming ahead, crumbling in many places but otherwise it stood amongst clouds of frost-stricken foliage. This was an old Uchiha stronghold, and it was constructed of solid stone; a lone sentinel standing head and shoulders above the fall-brilliant woodlands. His clan once helped protect the allies of their country, and when Yugakure was still considered a ninja nation, the Uchiha had been permitted to build here in order to keep watch over their allies. There were a few of these strongholds dotted across most countries, each of them built sturdily so that they weathered the years without maintenance. Some would have been torn down, but Yugakure had no interest in destroying this one. Such a move could be seen as potentially hostile.

He went inside to what one might look upon as the 'throne room'. Twas' dilapidated, but its state didn't detract from its grandeur, with old banners strewn upon every wall and the clan crest engraved in stone between the hangings. It was austere and almost forbidding, just as he remembered it. Itachi crossed the room and sat upon the huge stone chair itself. He leaned back, ankles crossed, elbow slung casually in a sleeve. He closed his eyes and waited while trying not to meditate on any regrets, for they were legion and could devour him whole.

 _'I wonder what Saiya will do?'_  
Would she search for him, or turn her back out of anger?  
There was only one way to find out.

 

_Current Time, With You..._

It didn't take long for you to eject your body out of bed and get dressed. Waiting was out of the question.  
You were about to turn the room upside down looking for any hint of where he had gone when your eyes fell upon your nightstand, and strode across to snatch up the slip of paper. You had seen Itachi's writing but twice in as many years, yet who else could've left it? Inside was a short note which made your mouth go dry.

**  
****Saiya, I am truly sorry for last night. It had to be done one way or another. I could not permit you to follow.  
I admit I haven't been thoroughly honest. I've endured an incurable disease which is due to take my life, and I realized that my brother followed us here. I've chosen to let him settle his vengeance with me rather than allow the illness to rob him of the opportunity. Without my death, he will be unable to come to terms with the reality of things as they are. It is I who made him who he is today, and I owe this to him.**

**A thousand times, thank you for all you intended to do for me.**

**Farewell, my love.**

****

A hard lump formed in your throat and you stared at the words without seeing them. Farewell. Farewell, _my love_. 

Did he think for a second you really wouldn't go and find him?  
ESPECIALLY after reading that note?!

Heart burdened with conflicts, you pocketed the slip of paper then numbly crossed the room to your coat and boots. You went through the motions of pulling them on without much of it registering. That is when you heard the screams outside, and you broke out of your spell to move towards the windows and shove the drapes aside. What you saw made breath hitch in your throat.

Black fire on the horizon, swallowing the woodlands with unseemly furor. 

Down in the street townsfolk and tourists pointed and shrieked, rightfully terrified that it would draw too close to them. What passed for law enforcement around here (basically normal men in uniforms, not shinobi) spouted platitudes in a thinly veiled attempt to calm them and bring order before a riot of fear sparked. You whirled towards your pack and extracted the scroll from it which held your weapons; the custom forged black katana and wakizashi, the thigh-packs of senbon, a couple of extra tanto and that favorite brown leather cargo belt, of course replete with poisons and supplies. You made sure to stuff a Corpse Storage Scroll into one of the pockets along with fat rolls of gauze, then rushed from the inn, startling a few guests in the process. You wove through the crowd and jumped clean over a tightly knitted pack of frightened locals, who screamed at the sight of an armed kunoichi airborne over their heads. You landed on their opposite side and booked straight for the burning forest. There's not a second to lose. He could still be alive! 

But you skidded to a halt when a tall woman appeared up ahead. She threw one end of an absurdly long tattered black scarf over her shoulder and regarded you with a wide smile. You spied the telltale wooden fox mask ears peeking over the back of her head. Apart from her attire; her eyes, skin and hair weren't the colors you remembered them.

"Hello Saiya. It's been awhile." She greeted placidly.  
"Kitsuna! What're you doing here?" You demanded, hoping the answer wasn't, 'to do what I should've done'. In any case, you had no time for this. You shook your head furiously, a hand upon your katana's pommel. "Never mind...! This is going to have to wait, I'm in a hurry!" You exclaimed and made to move around her, but she sidestepped into your path and crossed her arms. "Saiya, I'm given to understand that you're a prodigy in your field. So use those brains. Do you seriously intend to go through that black fire? Even in you manifest into a wraith, you can't withstand its destructive power for long, if at all."

"......." You faltered and stared at her, wishing she wasn't correct. The only other time you saw Itachi's Amaterasu in action was when he burnt down a building with it, but that had been contained in a dried up lake basin. He never, ever, _ever_ used it in training because it was too deadly. In other words, you had no way to counteract it. And somehow, she _knew_ that.

"Let me help."

You eyed Kitsuna suspiciously. "Really now, you dropped out of the aether to help? Why do I get the feeling its going to cost me?"

Her eyes danced with mischief, flickering from topaz gold to tangerine orange in contrast with her cobalt blue bangs, the only part of her hair not contained in the mask. "How about an unnamed favor at an unmentioned time?"

You were in no position to be picky. "Fine." You snapped. "That works. Now how do you propose to get me through?" 

"Watch and learn, my dear." She turned and began a series of handseals, then paused on the last one, that of the dragon, and held it. When her energy issued out it formed into a shell of pale blue light that expanded all the way around until it developed into a sphere containing the fire within its radius. But you were dubious as to how it'd help you once inside.

"Now what? Your plan is to cage me with it?"

"Actually, once you cross the boundary it will encase you in a shell. I call this the Bubblewrap Jutsu."

"...the hell...?"

She was entertained at your disbelief. "The name is meant to be literal. Besides, it serves another function. In order for somebody to move through it freely, I must give them permission. Anybody already inside can exit. But otherwise, people not allowed within shall be unable to pass. It may look flimsy, but this barrier is invulnerable as long as I maintain it undisturbed." She smiled. "Now, I shall wait. Take as long as you must. And a word of warning; once inside, the barrier will protect _only_ the one who has walked through its wall from the fire. It isn't fashioned to do much more, so if you aim to transport anyone else outside the boundary, I suggest you find a safe point of egress, likely further back where it started."

You nodded and walked through the boundary, waiting not a second longer. The energy felt cool, almost gentle, and while passing through it stretched like plastic wrap to envelope your body in a film of chakra. You didn't pause to examine it, choosing instead to face the tenebrous inferno that barred your path. Now _this_ is the part that could be deadly. 

Amaterasu ate away at the world around you...it carpeted the forest floor, broke down trees and brambles...dissolved even the _ashes_ to nothing. You watched it apprehensively. One way or another, there was no time to hesitate. This wasn't a question of courage, but trust. Though you rationalized with yourself that if Kitsuna wanted you dead or captured, this probably wouldn't be her chosen method. So you took a breath and walked through a patch of the conflagration, and miraculously felt nothing. The ebon fire was repelled harmlessly. Maybe that woman was owed an apology later.

No longer concerned that Amaterasu could do you harm, you flitted through what survived of the woods. It wasn't hard to determine the correct direction. Up ahead, the land was stripped bare in a widening crescent about the ruins of what might've been an aged stone fortress. Hunks of scorched stone lay crumbling to dust, and there was an electric charge in the air that made the downy hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. A tremendous battle took place here. The site was almost completely decimated, and wavering throughout was the unmistakable scent of blood.

The search began, but it wasn't hard to find who you were looking for: Itachi, where he lay motionless and obviously dead, with Sasuke beside him.

Sasuke didn't bother rising to his feet when you approached. Blood and dirt streaked his face and while you gave pause to examine the scene before you, rain began to patter down from above. You finally knelt down opposite Sasuke and examined Itachi's slackened form. Ruby liquid soaked his clothing and went from the corners of his mouth in streaks as well as from one eye; and speaking of his eyes, they had a grayish quality to them, almost milky and reflective at the pupils. You reached to close the lids but Sasuke slapped a hand over your wrist. You could feel him tremble. He was left so depleted from the fight that he would be pathetically easy to overpower if necessary. "Don't...don't you dare touch him..." He demanded through waves of weakness and anguish, and you looked him unflinchingly in the eye.

"Back off, and let me do what I must." You were surprised at your own voice. It was calm and resigned, not tumultuous as you thought it'd sound. 

"No." Sasuke wasn't thinking rationally. He was shaken to the core. Something was terribly wrong about this situation. But you couldn't care less about the source of his strange behavior, only that it made him a nuisance. You drew a breath, expelling it slowly, keeping your amethyst orbs level upon his. You wished you could kill this guy, truly. But there was no way that would happen right now, if ever. "Let go Sasuke. I am going to revive him no matter what. There is _nothing_ you can do to prevent this." You continued to sound nearly relaxed. As if having known the outcome of this situation for awhile, and already came to terms with it. Since reluctance maintained and tightened his weak grip upon your arm, you knew it was a probability that this stubborn Uchiha wasn't about to give in. "Be advised, Sasuke. If you think you're in bad shape now, understand that I can lock your body down in one shot. You will be unable to so little as _blink_ for the next 72 hours, during which you'll perish from your injuries if left untreated. Do you want that, or would you prefer to limp out of here under your own power?" Seeing that this wasn't enough encouragement, your brow furrowed. "Is preventing me from taking your brother's corpse away _that_ important to you? I thought you despised him with the whole of your being. I'd think it would be a relief that I'm removing him from your sight."

Panting and exhausted, but continuing to hold your unwavering gaze with one of his own, Sasuke could tell that the first part wasn't a bluff. He knew there was nothing he could do in his present condition with his body completely wrecked. The fact he's conscious is a miracle in and of itself. One by one his fingers loosened, and you closed Itachi's eyelids gently with the palm of a hand. Sasuke watched and his gaze didn't waver from his dead brother's face for a moment. He thought on what he'd learned recently about both of you. He had followed long enough to realize a few things, but there was plenty he remained oblivious to. "If you're not in Akatsuki together anymore, why are you here?" His voice flickered; a dying ember of resolve fizzling out after an existence fueled by vengeance. 

You eyed Sasuke, contemplating an answer. Not long ago he was an enemy. For now; he was too numb to care about that, and you felt the same way. Death has a way of opening one's eyes and smearing away things that were once relevant, like badly erased lines on a chalk board. Everything collides. It meshes together, and creates a new blurry image. He hadn't done so for long but as he watched you both from afar, Sasuke gradually understood that there was something between you and his brother. His sources told him that you both continually evaded Akatsuki and bounty hunters, employing whatever means necessary without killing. He witnessed Itachi reign you in more than once...and you reluctantly obeyed. But so much of the larger picture was unfocused. The world viewed you both as scoundrels existing without loyalty to anyone but oneself, and Sasuke couldn't help but agree. Though as the days wore on while you were made to assist Team Hebi, he gained minor insight to your personality, but none of that would warn him against what he was about to hear.

"Because I love him." 

This answer out of the blue, and despite not having consciously decided to say it aloud...or admit it to yourself, you remained rock steady. Sasuke watched into your eyes for a long minute while you averted your orbs towards Itachi's stomach, where rainwater collected and dripped off to the muddied ground. You slipped a hand into a belt pocket to extract the Corpse Scroll.

"......" Sasuke said nothing and gave no indication as to his thoughts on the subject. Maybe he should have been as astonished as you were at that declaration. But in hindsight, it made sense and pieces of the puzzle began fitting together. In the time he spent with you, Sasuke understood that you were extraordinarily resilient to authority, no matter who it was. _Respect_ appeared to be the sole thing that bred loyalty within you, and _loyalty_ was what made you listen. Clearly, you didn't outright respect Sasuke or any of his comrades. He had to resort to underhanded tactics in order to survive because he didn't trust you. And his caution saved his ass in that situation, or something in that vicinity anyway.

You did a handseal and Itachi's body vanished into the scroll, and you caught it reflexively before it landed in the bloodied mud. Rain pestered your head, back and shoulders, soaking spots into your green jacket, but you ignored it. You rolled up and concealed the scroll before it got soaked. "I'm bringing him away now. After revival, Itachi may need awhile to recuperate. Since you helped put him in this state, I'm sure you won't have any objections to me taking over from here. As it stands, this will take awhile to find a safe place to return him to this world. Y'know, _without_ the eye damage." There was no sense in pulling the wool over his eyes. What else would you want with a corpse, but to bring back the person in question? You knew, merely by watching Sasuke's reaction, that this message couldn't resound any louder. Mister Avenger was hearing things right; you were bringing his loathed older brother back, after a battle he technically survived but didn't win. Once whole again, Itachi wouldn't be hindered by anything. He would come back stronger than before. As it was, Itachi has been going easy on him since the start. Even this last fight hadn't been completely for real and it was painfully obvious now. 

At this turn in the conversation, Sasuke almost flinched and wanted to scream in frustration. He wanted to yell that you didn't understand. That _he_ didn't understand. But part of the phrasing piqued his interest, and he mustered the nerve to ask. Because he had to know for sure. "You said I 'helped'. As if I'm not the real reason he's dead. What do you mean by that?"  
You rose from the ground and looked back at the younger Uchiha, tilting your head and swiping a moistened lock of hair behind an ear. A few strands clung to your forehead and neck, and droplets of water rolled down into your eyes and spilled upon your cheekbones like rivulets of tears. "As his brother, I'd think you should know. Itachi was very sick. He had an incurable illness."

Sasuke looked away, standing up also, though most unsteadily. Whether or not Itachi went easy on him, this guy had been through the wringer and barely survived. "That must be why..."

"Why what?"

"...never mind." He didn't want to admit what happened and kept his head turned away, trying to keep a stiff upper lip. But it wasn't so easy for a man who learned in one small moment prior to death that his brother was always his brother, poking him in the head as he always did when they were a family.

Alas Sasuke continued to be kept unaware of the full story. Regardless, if Itachi was alive, he wouldn't believe a word of it anyway. You knew this and had planned in advance to make sure everything fell neatly into place, in case Itachi's plan didn't work the way he intended. Sasuke had sources forming a network of his own, though it was in the fledgling stage. You chose to plant somebody of your own into his budding resource network, using a person whom couldn't be traced back to you or anybody you were known to associate with, both for their safety and yours. Not long after Sasuke was recovered from the battleground by his friends, this individual would release crucial information that Sasuke needed to hear...ideally, while Itachi was dead. Knowing your track record didn't help, which is why timing was essential. He would assume that you would revive him the second you could.

While realizing exactly how bad this was, that his revenge was taken away by a nameless disease, Sasuke flared with rage and he wheeled on you. "You're a medic!! Why didn't you fix him?! What the fuck is wrong with you?!?!?"

"If it weren't for that malady you could be dead right now, brat." You almost added, _'He never told me, I figured it out on my own.'_ But you bit your tongue.

"You have no right to presume that about me, bitch." His tone was scathing, and his attitude should be understandable. But you wouldn't take responsibility for Itachi's choice. Was he only acting this way because the disease took victory away at the end, or did he understand that Itachi never intended to kill him? Did he get that his brother was _always_ holding back? Isn't this what he hoped for--an end to the man who shaped him into what he is now? You should be angry at Sasuke's reaction. You should've snapped at him, and years ago, you would have...years ago, you'd have mocked him severely and aimed to kill him. Yes...years ago, you believed that the way to a man's heart is through his ribcage. Maybe you weren't as mature as you appeared back then. You were often prone to violent mood swings that looked bipolar to untrained eyes. And you were endlessly explaining yourself to _everyone_. But those days were gone. If you explained yourself to anyone now, it was a personal choice.

"I needn't explain myself to a petulant child. I'm going." And you would leave the seething, confused Uchiha brother behind, deciding not to take his life when it would be so easy to put him out of his misery _and_ yours. Itachi let him survive more than once. It was his wish that Sasuke be allowed to persist, and you would honor that. You took off before he could say another word and went for the inn suite to collect the bags, then as you were about to go, Kitsuna knocked on the door and you answered hesitantly. When you opened the door, her peony pink eyes skimmed from top to toes, as if surveying damage you couldn't see. 

"You were successful?"

"I have him with me now." You responded solemnly. "I need to go elsewhere to do this. All the commotion will have alerted pursuers to our presence."

'Our'. As if he were alive.

"Certainly reasonable."

"Did you need something?"

"Not quite." She said with a faint smile. "I wanted to know if things went as you hoped."

At first you drew a blank, then realized that she might've waited awhile before leaving. You never did stop to tell her that you got what you came for. As she suggested, it was easier to leave the area through a patch of land already scorched bald at the back of the fortress. "Ah. I should've--"

She waved it off. "No need. I remained until the fire was neutralized and then came here. Am I to assume you'll be on the way to your group now? And incidentally, you might consider giving your little...ah...'organization' a name. It's only fair."

You blinked at her, quite puzzled. How much did she know about them? You had people highly invested in protecting that secret, so evidently, either her sources were better than yours or these people you hired weren't doing their jobs properly. "...Right."

"At any rate I request that you come to Kumogakure at your earliest convenience, as I might have use for that favor you owe me by then. Come straight in the front gate. The guards will give you trouble, but mention that you'd like to call upon me, and they'll at least need to wait and double check with my clan before declaring your presence to the Raikage. Our name demands certain courtesies."

That sounded dicey, but you didn't want to hang around and debate this with the woman who chewed Madara up and spit him out. "Fine. Whatever you want. I really must be leaving, though." Kitsuna brightened and insisted on carrying a bag down to the check-out desk. You reluctantly thanked her. If you weren't wary of this woman before, you sure as hell are now. And speaking of 'wary', the town police (or 'peacekeepers' as they preferred to be known) were eager to see you out. They didn't want anybody to feel unwelcome in Yugakure, but you are a wolf amongst sheep. These people were so used to being free of threat that when an s-class rogue jumps over their heads, they bleat and run for the nearest hole to cower in....never mind that they came to no harm, and Kitsuna neutralized Amaterasu before it ate the whole damn countryside. 

Unfortunately, these events did exactly what you thought they would: attracted hunters. So you had to plot another route, and without really knowing where the hell you were going. You traveled four days now with every single stitch of the supplies you both carried before,with also having restocked in town with dried food and water and such. But at the start of this journey, you put Itachi's pack in a storage scroll and decided to keep yours out for now. This might slow you down a hair, but that didn't matter since you needed to think on your new destination for a bit. 

You crested a rise and paused, realizing you've gone by here before. At first you wondered if some parts of this land were familiar only because you passed through once before with Itachi. With so much to think about, and lacking the tendency to continuously consult the map, you realized you just went in a huge circle. 

_'Whoa, wow. Fan-fucking-tastic. Gyaku Saiya, world's dumbest smartass. Go me.'_ You thought wryly, and corrected your course. You needed to buy time, but not like _that_. What you really needed to do was reconvene with your group, but it was easier said than done right now. With the way things had been, you were out of touch with them and had no clue where they chose to settle and start construction. You'd been waiting on Tatsuo's response when things got ugly. As of now, you needed to find an ideal spot where you could remain unseen and also communicate with them. The best bet was to track down Hyuuga Tatsuo, but only if he hadn't moved since you last sent word to him. There weren't many places you could go and your lengthy list of allies was cut in half since breaking ties from Akatsuki. 

Speaking of which, you became acutely aware of the fact that you weren't alone.


	9. A Ghost Of A Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are confronted, and paranoia is digging its hooks in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: LALA! Happy fun time?
> 
> ** Geographically, I have extrapolated an understanding of the Naruto world and landscape based on what I know of the series and what I've seen of several different maps on the internet, but since this is essentially a fanfic altered away from many canon aspects of the series I figure it's fine. Since it looks like there are swatches of land unclaimed on the edges of the map, I decided to take certain liberties with that from here on out.
> 
> *** As a reminder: no offense or disrespect is intended in regards to anybody's beliefs.  
> AND I don't know why I make the Yoriwara's sound a hair british, but it works. XD

A Ghost of a Chance

 

You'd been traveling along that ridge out of sight behind trees; which gradually sloped down and around to a hollow surrounding an enormous hot spring. A filmy haze hovered above heated water. And upon approach, that ambiguous veil began to solidify. You paused, watching this happen for a minute before fully exiting the shelter of the woods. There was a familiar presence making himself known up ahead. 

"Y'know Kisame, I made a pretty mean shark fin soup back at that restaurant I used to work."

Kisame knew better than to be offended by your contorted sense of humor. His razor-toothed mouth broadened into a grin, though was a touch dour in response. "Hello there, Saiya. Been awhile." 

"Not long enough I'm afraid." You turned to the side but he flitted over to stand by the warm lake, putting himself between you and the preferable way out. A delicate frown tugged your eyebrows. "Is this actually necessary?"

"Yeah. Leader thinks so."

"You're alone?"

"Mhm. My partner took off with some woman y'know, so I'm running solo these days." He crossed his arms, and you carefully lowered your burden to the ground. His remark was intended to be funny, but the situation sucked any humor out of it. "Speaking of which, where's Itachi at?" Kisame is the enemy now, but he always regarded Itachi as a good friend, and vice versa. And Kisame didn't respect that many people in the world. Itachi had been one of the those who could reign the shark in when he was prepared for some seriously wanton murdering. 

"Oh, he's here alright." You said at last, deciding that it was best to tell him. Kisame, of everyone in Akatsuki, deserved to know. At his puzzlement you reached behind your back into the cargo belt and pulled out the slender corpse scroll, and then unrolled enough of it for him to see an embellished circle with Itachi's name inscribed within the center. He stared disbelievingly through undulating sheets of fog. "See?"

"What the hell? Is this a bad joke--"

"Kisame, _please_." You interjected patiently. "Sasuke followed us, and Itachi fought him after I drunk myself stupid again." You sighed, putting the scroll away. When hunting down Kabuto, you swiped a handful of them from his lab while no one was paying attention. It was in hopes that one of these might hold a hint as to what he was doing, but they turned out to be nothing of the sort. This empty corpse scroll was among those. Would come in handy if you needed to hide a body in a pinch, so you kept it. "But you know he was sick, he just didn't want to admit it." You looked across at the man you temporarily thought of as a big brother. His performance had been convincing at first, but you grew to realize he worked for Madara. There was no way of knowing who he threw his lot in with nowadays, but Kisame joined Akatsuki because he felt dislocated and without purpose. He might stay with them in order to fill that void. Though he was a likeable guy; you knew it would be easy to start thinking of him as a brother again someday if circumstances allowed that. This said, it wasn't really in his nature to 'kindly' help a woman. He was much more likely to participate in a slaughter or an interrogation. Itachi had tempered his sheer brutality, and slowly, he was doing the same to yours...not to say that either of you were totally declawed. Itachi's far from soft, but he preferred to avoid any deaths or conflict that could lead to further complications. You lost count of how many times he made you stay your hand when it would've been vastly easier to kill and dispose of border guards rather than wait for them to complete their tedious conversations and wander far enough away to slip past. Finding an alternative route hadn't always been an option.

"Yeah." Kisame grunted. "He did a great job of hiding that, though I caught him coughing up blood a few times when we were on missions. So the disease took him?"

"From the sounds of things." Neither of you had moved. Conversation might be civil at the moment, but there was a palpable tension that warned of an impending battle. "I talked to his younger brother." As an afterthought you elaborated, "Sasuke didn't want to admit to it, but from the looks of him, he was on the ropes. Now the following is a _guess_ , but Sasuke's chakra probably ran dry and Itachi could have ended him. But he didn't. Sickness took its toll instead, based on Sasuke's reaction to learning that fact about his brother." You kept a hand behind your back, fidgeting around in a pocket, then decided to pull out a beaten up bottle, opened it, and fished out a big green pill the size of a small jawbreaker with an index finger. You popped it in your mouth before extending the bottle in Kisame's direction. He shook his head once. With a shrug, you closed and pocketed the soldier pill bottle, and shifted the minty sphere awkwardly into one side of your mouth so you could talk. "You should've seen that kid, he's been through the wringer alright. Itachi certainly did a number on him...I mean, did you _see_ the forest? Totally inundated with Amaterasu. And the fortress was leveled." These words were numb upon your tongue. You refused to grieve because this wasn't going to last. But there was a weight in your chest; a stone where your heart should be. The specter of his downfall was what it took to stop ignoring how you actually felt about him. Maybe it was the same for Itachi, if the end of his note was any indication.

"You're not upset." He observed.

"Neither are you."

"That's because I'm sure he isn't staying dead."

"Am I that transparent?"

"Pretty much. But I guess I have an unfair advantage." Kisame was calm, if a touch relieved. They worked together for years, and recruited a others into the fold. You'd been the last one they brought in to Akatsuki at Pein's behest. That day felt like a lifetime ago now. He knew you well enough to realize you wouldn't let Itachi's death remain permanent.

With a warmthless laugh, you shook your head at him. "Kakuzu'll be heartbroken. You know how high his bounty is? A king's ransom, no doubt."

The usual quiver of amusement colored his voice at the thought. "And then some."

Neither side wanted to fight. Anyone else could be allowed to leave the organization and never return as long as they didn't know too much. But fighting Kisame was the last thing you needed to do right now. He can siphon off chakra, and for anybody that can prove disastrous, but for you it could prove worse than death. _And_ Kisame is formerly of the Seven Swordsmen. His aptitude with a blade far outstrips your own if it came down to a swordfight. He helped teach you how to fight with a sword, and he knew a lot of your moves. "I really should be heading out. Do we have to do this?" Kisame uttered a harsh bark of laughter, and his hands met in the symbol of concentration, then the mist intensified. It filled the area and became practically opaque, if the sun wasn't hidden behind clouds it might be blindingly white. "What, you think it's going to be that easy?" He called back, and you smiled to yourself. Unless you were deceived, Kisame was _purposefully_ screwing up. Once it gets foggy out, its damned near impossible to find a ghost when she doesn't wish to be discovered. And besides the point, he doesn't make a habit of using the Hidden Mist jutsu. You picked up the bag and manifested into spectral form, then went invisible and lit on out of there before he could catch you. Running is cowardice, but if you got caught, he'd bring you back to Amegakure and then you'd _never_ be able to escape. And Itachi would stay dead, probably fated to be turned over to a faceless third party agency for side income. Kisame was probably doing this for his friend's sake, not your own. Part of you hoped that everything in the past wasn't an act, and that he actually cared.

You hurried away from Kisame and went for the border. There was only one place you could think of going to in a pinch until you found out where the gang was holed up. 

The Hidden Grass.

 

_In the Hidden Rain..._

 

Konan had called Hidan and Kakuzu to meet with her in a remote chamber at Pein's behest. She wasn't exactly pleased to go through with this, and they weren't happy with being summoned either, but they arrived just the same.

"What's this about?" Kakuzu asked before Konan could speak. She never sent them anywhere, it was always Pein they answered to. Naturally they were curious. 

"Pein would like you both to pursue and capture Gyaku Saiya." She said emotionlessly, and they exchanged glances. Konan was attempting to keep distant from the situation. Saiya was her best friend, but she had to take Pein's side. Neither of these men cared about that, but these orders sounded peculiar coming from her: stilted and mechanical. Then there was the wording, plainly denoting that she didn't share Pein's feelings on the subject. "He would prefer that she remain alive. If she is in a troubled state, it will be perfectly understandable. But Gyaku must be primarily intact. And with all due haste, so you'll need to head out right away."

"And what of Itachi?" Kakuzu queried before leaving. Konan's face didn't flicker even remotely. "I leave his fate to you."

Hidan seemed ready to make a remark, but Kakuzu piped up first. "Understood." He motioned at Hidan (who cursed under his breath) to follow him out. After the door closed, the Jashinist snarled at him. "We're going after them with no leads? Seriously? What the fuck, Kakuzu?!"

"They want us to move out immediately, and that's what we are going to do."

 

_With Deidara and Sasori..._

The fight had been of epic proportions. Sasuke's last attack was highly visible from a distance: a tremendous lighting burst in the form of a mythic beast. Itachi must have survived it because a giant skeleton composed of pure red flame manifested into sight, and then enveloped itself with armor, hefting a sword and shield. In response, the remnants of Orochimaru within Sasuke were expelled into the open in the form of a massive white hydra. While it should have taken longer, that fight was over in under a minute...the hydra's heads were lopped off, and that too was defeated...the fiery avatar, Susano'o, pressed forward and then abruptly vanished. Not much later the whole forest was ablaze with an infernal black conflagration, as it spread throughout the fight. Try as they might, Deidara and Sasori weren't close enough to reach them before the whole thing was over. And nor could the finer details be seen from so far away. They checked the stronghold but encountered only blood and ruin before ascending back into the sky and started circling around towards the town, though they took their sweet time in doing so. Deidara watched the ground from the back of his clay hawk, a hand to the side of his ocular device. Sasori was sitting down behind him, surveying the area in a more limited capacity. "That was definitely from Itachi. But I'm not seeing any sign of him, un."

While Deidara's eye was focused elsewhere, Sasori spied a gap in the trees where a steaming lake sat. But a few minutes later as they soared along, and that spot filled in unnaturally quick with mist. "Over there. Can you see through that?"

Deidara turned his earthen hawk in that direction and began their descent. "It's too dense. That's definitely a jutsu, un." He upped the speed and shot down towards the fog, and when they drew close enough, the bird's wing strokes blasted it away. There stood Kisame, who was placing his Samehada sword in its usual place upon his back. He appeared irritated, but wasn't surprised in the least at their appearance. "You're a bit late." 

"Did you find them?" Sasori asked and stepped down off the hawk's back when they landed. He swept his fingers through his short garnet hair when a few stray strands fell in his eyes, and he glanced around at the vestiges of mist. So far, there was no other presence in the surrounding area.

"Yeah. Took off when the fight started."

That didn't sound right. Neither Saiya nor Itachi are cowards. They don't run away, unless a tactical withdrawal it is seen as absolutely necessary. And Kisame would've been outnumbered.  
Sasori dropped his hand from the back of his head and began walking around the clay hawk, hazel eyes continually shifting around the lake clearing in a fruitless attempt to discover those whom they sought. "Then what are you doing.... _here_?" He inquired after a moment, pausing in front of Kisame and pointing at the ground between them. Deidara hadn't moved from the back of his sculpture where he watched and eased his left hand to a bag at his side for some clay, in case this took a bad turn. If he assisted them in escaping, Kisame would be considered a turncoat and they could have a fight on their hands. "Why didn't you pursue them?"

"Ever try catching a ghost in the fog?"

"That's not what I asked." Sasori narrowed his eyes at the shark man; and looked over his shoulder at Deidara, who raised his blond eyebrows, hand now inside a bag of unformed clay. "You're covering for them, un?"

"I'd have followed, but a couple a' jackasses on a overgrown pigeon scattered the mist everywhere. I lost track."

"Ohhhh no, don't blame that on me, hn!" Then, a second later, "And it's a kestrel, not a pigeon. Nn."

"Hah, whatever."

Sasori sighed and turned back in Kisame's direction. "Which way were they heading last you noticed? We can go quicker by air." They might've switched to another route, but it was a place to start. Kisame lifted a hand and jerked a bluegray thumb over his right shoulder. "That way."

"Let's go Deidara." Sasori said without hesitation, and hopped up onto the kestrel's back. Deidara was puzzled, he expected that Kisame would tag along. But the other seemed more content to venture out on his own. They took off and blasted into the air, sailing away under the cloudy sky. "I doubt they went due north. There's nothing out there, hm."

"Of _course_ they didn't." Sasori snapped impatiently. "Go west."

"Are you sure? I mean, why would they come here in the first place? Maybe they were going somewhere in particular, hn."

"Trust me Deidara."

 

_Hours Later, With You..._

 

Thankfully you didn't have to carry his corpse upon your back. This allowed for faster travel, especially once you stowed both bags inside a storage scroll, though barely...the ones you possessed were now at maximum capacity. You couldn't afford to sacrifice mobility, so tucking a little scroll away inside a belt pocket was easier than hauling around two overstuffed travel packs. However, you continued to wear the fairly plain clothing, but kept out your real weapons and put away the standard steel ones. Rather than blending in with the masses you would have to rely on skirting around towns and outposts because with all the unrest; more and more cities and towns were banning weapons from being carried amongst civilians. And you couldn't afford the risk of being found by another Akatsuki while even _partially_ unarmed. So, you had to avoid detection altogether, because it would be too easy for some vagrant to ID you off your armaments alone. The black chakrasteel weapons you carried are absolutely infamous, considered a trademark amongst a handful of ninja. Chakra-imbued metal is a rarity; and even rarer are the blacksmiths who know how to work with it. Armaments and conductors forged from that material are a hard-to-come-by commodity which cost a fortune, so its noticeable when somebody carries such specialized weaponry. Especially ebon chakrasteel, which is the cream of the crop by comparison to the more common silver variety. To think, you may have a katana and a wakizashi, but Nagato Pein has several bodies _riddled_ with the stuff.

You shuddered at the thought that he might be out here searching; except he found himself too important to do so, unless he had no other option. And the fact that you weren't stuck in some dank prison in Amegakure meant your suspicions were confirmed. While you hadn't tried your hand at freely manipulating the various elements yet, at the very least Pein had no idea where to find you anymore, not since that bold move where Itachi chopped your hands off. It had been a gory end to a dull life in the Rain doomed to end badly anyway. 

Speaking of dull, the sky remained woolen with clouds and the innocuous drizzle of rain turned into a thunderous cloudburst. Given how chilly it's been, it was wise not to let yourself be thoroughly soaked. So you searched for a place to hide in relative safety, and soon took refuge beneath a stony ridge when the downpour became more ferocious. You were temporarily sheltered, bit if the angle of the rain changed, you'd be drenched all over again. You turned your head this way and that, looking to determine a better spot to camp for the night, and when you looked straight up, you realized that there was a horizontal break beneath the ridge overhang. The rocks were a little slick, but you were able to climb up them with relative ease and peered inside. It wasn't easy to see inside, but as far as you could tell, it seemed as though there was a large enough gap of space beyond this opening. In order to get through you practically had to lay flat and shimmy through the gap, but once inside you found that this was indeed a void in the stone, easily large enough to accommodate you, though it would be uncomfortable and awkward. This space was shaped into angles by flat stones, creating a nearly diamond-shaped enclosure. A litter of tiny animal bones, dead leaves and pebbles remained scattered at the back and clustered towards the front along the crease at the base of the enclosure, but there was no evidence that any creature currently called this place home.

Yes, it was annoying to place yourself in here, and it wasn't really possible to stand up without craning your neck. There are downsides, but at least this spot is dry as it is obscure. And a break from running was welcome. Stopping for a bit might throw pursuers off your trail, particularly if you were smart about dusting your tracks. And that violent cloudburst blotting out sight and sound would help. It raged for roughly ten minutes but upon chancing a peek from between slabs of stone, the previously fluffy, crispy layers of autumn leaves were pummeled flat into the mud. There wasn't a trail leading here that you could discern, and _you_ knew where to look. This should definitely be a decent place to stay the night. Plus, if fortune held out, the rain would cease before morning.

You opened up a storage scroll and unfurled it partway, peering through the shadows at text which could barely be seen. When you found the object you wanted, a 'poof!' later you had a rough gray wool blanket amongst a couple other things sitting heaped in your lap. Upon setting these aside, you leaned up with a knee against the slope of the angular enclosure to stuff a corner of said blanket into a snag, and shifted towards the other side to do the same thing. This way at least, it would help stifle the cold gush of air from that furious storm. Not to mention that, should an enemy veer close by, it would conceal any movement from with this gap. But you didn't feel overly concerned about that anyway. This was far enough away from civilization, and that break under this ridge wasn't nearly wide enough for most people to squeeze through. Thankfully your petite frame served well to hide away in cramped quarters. Though your _particular_ pursuers are more observant than most, and you knew you had to be especially cautious in all things. 

Hoping that the thick blanket would be enough to hide the presence of light, you slid awkwardly towards the very back and propped a plastic camping lantern between three stones, then leaned back against the tilted slab and snapped open a map. This was one which had been long ago snitched from Kakuzu when he wasn't paying attention. His slanted writing overflowed margins and skimmed beside coastlines, with arrows and circles arced around swatches of brown and green land, some of which were crowded with further notations. You never paid attention to what he wrote, but now it didn't hurt to read them. Kakuzu is the one who lays the path out for his cell, and he always takes the most lucrative route. It had to be Kakuzu's most predictable characteristic: given the option, he _always_ takes detours to hunt a cash cow. And that pair would be one of the groups sent out in pursuit. Truth be told, you very nearly _dreaded_ running into them. Hidan and Kakuzu are the ones you trained with the most, apart from Pein himself of course. While literally everyone in Akatsuki has a strange body the likes of which are seen nowhere else; the reason why you worked with these guys in particular is because the notorious 'Team Zombie' was the best fit for your unique talent to transform into a ghost, as the most potent incarnations of that shape occur upon death.

Because you three knew one another so well, fighting them could go on practically forever. Hidan is immortal, and Kakuzu has enough extra lives to outlast almost anything, assuming one can figure his secret out and get close enough to him first. His battle style is utterly brutal, and his stone cold nature and keen intellect unnerves most any foe; whereas Hidan is the polar opposite. He plays around, tortures and taunts his enemy and is too loose-lipped for his own good, to say nothing of his rotten temper and overconfidence. You knew you could always count on Hidan to overreact, and figured it'd be easy enough to counter him when it came to that. Unless he decided to listen to Kakuzu and play it safe. Out of both, Kakuzu is the one to worry about. 

_'If I'm cautious I can circumvent any confrontations for awhile. Can't run forever, but I'll evade them as long as possible. I need to buy enough time to revive Itachi.'_ You appraised the document, amethyst eyes flickering back and forth across landmasses and seas, over black arrows which formed bridges between red circles. This was now a matter of determining the most likely route he'd want to take. 

_'So. How to draw this out...'_

 

Of course there's also Sasori and Deidara, the artists of the bunch. Fighting both or either would be tricky, but hopefully not as prolonged. And while you seriously doubted it, there was the chance you could run into Konan. Pein wouldn't send her out unless that was deemed necessary. And lastly, the trickiest of the bunch is Zetsu, who can move between locations almost instantly and remain concealed in plain sight. If _he_ doesn't make you paranoid, nothing should.

So far the best location to angle for was the old Gyaku compound in Kusagakure. On multiple occasions you professed your hate of that place and also mentioned that there really was nothing to return back for. You knew that no one in the Grass would tear down the property because technically it still belonged to your family (since not all are dead). But you, for instance, are considered sole beneficiary of all assets. Father had been head of the family and CEO of Gyaku Distilleries, and you had been in his ironclad Last Will and Testament. Being the oldest child had benefits but back then you didn't think of it like that. You were so concerned with avoiding the family business it didn't matter to you, but they had so little faith in your potential as a kunoichi that father never removed you from his Will; which was so impregnably constructed, that taking you out of it in favor of one of your brothers represented weeks of paperwork and patience he didn't have. What he _did_ have was a surfeit of foes and competition. Take a wild guess which was his foremost priority.

To digress, if Akatsuki is determined enough, and if they can't catch you this way, they'll turn to other methods in order to flush you out. That means attacking weak points. Your followers are one such target. Konan could potentially be used to exploit your friendship, and last but _never_ least is Itachi. Kisame is probably the only one who knows of Itachi's fate, but he could potentially inform Pein. Kisame represented a threat himself once you realized he served Madara first and foremost. Now that Madara is out of the picture, Kisame became a factor of uncertainty. You rubbed your forehead tiredly, eyelids weighed down from exhaustion. _'I'd better watch out. Kisame...I don't know what your game is anymore. But whatever you do now, I hope we aren't enemies.'_ He did a favor by letting you go earlier. Chances are he won't do so again. When Kisame made that mist envelop the clearing you turned ghost and bolted, but you kept that shape for awhile before relenting and solidifying. It's much harder to keep the Ghost form going while alive and can drain a lot of energy if you aren't cautious, but you had been moving recklessly fast to put as much distance between yourself and Kisame as possible. And that happened this morning. Now it was dusk, and you'd been going nonstop at top speed. That's nothing to sneeze at...you had barged out of the Hot Springs country, cut through the Land of Rice and were now a ways into Konohagakure. Before when traveling with Itachi through the Leaf, it only took as long as it did because you weren't in a profound rush. There was awhile before the Five Kage Summit, and you both agreed it would be best to wait before traversing the gap into Kumogakure. Now it didn't seem to matter.

This hidey-hole is a better option than most to settle down for sleep; but paranoia began to draw its nails along the back of your neck, making your skin prickle uneasily. It's uncomfortable in here and you'd have to sleep slumped over against tilted rock surfaces tonight, but this remote place was worth it. Ideally, you would awaken at the crack of dawn and hurry along before the majority of the civilized world stirred. 

Since there was little else to do you put the map away, ate some dried meat and fruit, gulped down a bottle of water, pulled out a second heavy wool blanket and turned the lantern off. This blanket was newer than the first and big enough to wad up one corner under your head as a makeshift pillow, though you knew it wouldn't remain that way. You lay motionless and listened, eyes adjusting to the dark. Rain drummed insistently outside, and you tried not to let shadows and unfamiliar surfaces of the tiny enclosure play cruel tricks on your mind. It was easy to imagine that a few angles meeting together formed the jagged, toothy line of Zetsu's flytrap maw, and that a stone caught between rocky folds could be the pupil of one beady eye peeking stealthily through the murk. You turned beneath the blanket in order to envelop your body in it, and lay against one shoulder, then indecisively stuffed an arm under your head to cradle it. Ohh, this was bound to be a _very_ long night. If only a certain handsome man was here to help warm that blanket, it might not be so hard to forget the paranoia that prowled the hem of your fading consciousness.

 

_Elsewhere..._

 

Presently, a group of shinobi wearing the Gyaku emblem sat crouched around a bonfire in the bowels of a cavern, the mouth of which gaped wide to a sort of 'No-Man's Land'. There was no movement outside that could be seen, but the stillness beyond was unnerving. With autumn's arrival; the dip in temperature had driven the typical insects away, and the lack of chirping crickets was disturbing. 

 

"Are you positive we'll be okay here Dai?"

Daisato sat down with his back to the wall, furthest away from the aura of heat surrounding the fire. Smoke gathered against ripples of rock in the ceiling and loitered around stalactites, gradually seeking an outlet at the yawning entrance. He watched tendrils waft away, and held in a sigh. "We haven't left a trail that I'm aware of. It should be fine. Nobody sane hikes these mountains, so I doubt we'll be noticed." He watched into the night with his one Byakugan, the normal eye closed from the strain. Since he shouldn't have a Byakugan to begin with; it aches on days of bad weather or downright hurts with extensive use, but he learned to deal. It was this, or live as a cyclops forevermore. "I would have seen any unwelcome guests by now."

"Guess so." Rasura agreed reluctantly. She was concerned with being noticed because of small details, like how they continued to wear Lady Saiya's emblem. But then, she was terrified that most _everything_ could mark them for death. Rasura isn't a fighter. She's a healer, a scientist, who barely knows how to make a proper fist.

"I wonder how Tatsuo is doing? If he's found Lady Saiya yet, I mean." Akane voiced, turning her palms outward to the flame with a shiver. In Iwagakure, the temperature dips into a brittle cold snap very easily. Turns out that the opposite side of the border in the No-Man's Land was much the same.

"He won't know we're here, so we will have to wait to find out." Kai said, watching tiny Kuri roll over in her sleep. That woman could conk out on a bed of nails and sleep through a parade. The others were also snoozing nearby her, and would be woken in four hours. Half of the group sleeping in shifts was best in case they were tracked, but also it prevented a lone sentry from falling asleep due to boredom. 

This area was right across the divide of Iwagakure, on the other side of a mountainous spine connected to an unknowably vast region of wilderness. As far as anyone was aware, only a spare few intrepid souls ventured out there and returned to tell the tale. And because of this, there are many sections of the common map which sit unmarked. Most of these places consist of woodlands so cryptic and untamed that the Five Great Nations never bothered with them based upon the handful of reports gleaned from explorers, not to mention the cost of maintaining a nation during wartimes. Equal to that, neither would the lesser countries concern themselves with the potential territory. So to anyone's knowledge, it all sat unclaimed. And it wasn't limited to the mainland. There were islands much like that also populating the seas, some of which tended to fade in and out of sight on the horizon behind an arcane deluge of fog. Several of them were protected by a network of barrier reefs that had a tendency to clutch ships from the water. Their broken, greening husks formed jagged teeth vaguely reminiscent of a skeletal grin that warned of potential death for explorers. Though admittedly, each and every unknown gap of land and water wasn't _necessarily_ perilous. But it was the conclusion most rational people arrived at, and it wasn't the only place surrounded by lore and legend. This chain of mountains, for example, was known to house a collection of dangerous creatures, the details of which have been long blown out of proportion by locals. 

Distantly, a wolf howled, and was joined by others. It made for a haunting chorus which caused Rasura to shudder. She heard stories of these creatures, and the wolves out here were said to be as big as a draft horse. She glanced around insecurely at the shadows quivering in every corner of the cave, indirectly expecting to see glowing eyes from within them. "Do we _really_ have to stay out here for long?"

Dai finally closed his aching pale eye and shifted his back against the uneven wall. He crossed his arms. "As long as necessary."

"But--"

"Lady Saiya is a big girl, she can protect herself or else none of us would _be_ here. As for Tatsuo, he isn't the same guy we met a couple years ago. He's far more capable than you give him credit for."

"Yeah, b--"

Dai's voice grew stern. "We are only staying here long enough to throw our pursuers off. Then we will meet up with the others and--"

"How about not waiting that long?" A new voice intervened, and three shapes materialized out of the night at the cavern mouth. Daisato was up in an instant and placed himself between the newcomers and Rasura, whose brown eyes were wide with shock. The middle figure, a woman with a tattered black scarf obscuring the lower half of her face, approached Daisato without an ounce of caution in her stride. She motioned carelessly over her shoulder to her companions, who soundlessly obeyed the signal and returned outside. On each man's back was a phoenix with its wings outstretched towards their shoulders.

"You're our pursuers." Daisato remarked frigidly while the others who were awake fell in behind him, ready to fight if required. "Why have you been following us?"

"You can relax." She said, raising a hand to loosen her scarf. It appeared thin but senselessly lengthy, to the point she could wrap it a few times around her neck and have twin long, ripped tails hanging over her back. But she faltered and lowered her hand, noting that nobody had dropped their guard. As if this would be as simple as telling them it'd be alright...but she knew better. "Here." She reached down and unbuckled the cargo belt slung low around her hips, dropped it on the pebble-strewn floor, and nudged it aside with the toe of a gray boot. 

Daisato, with his lone Byakugan once again activated, scoffed at the gesture. "If I'm right...and I usually am, what's in that belt isn't what we need concern ourselves with."

She cocked her head, and her mouth tilted into an amused smile. "How right you are." And as an afterthought, she introduced herself. "I am Kitsuna of the Yoriwara clan. And contrary to what you think, I am not your enemy. If I were, you'd be dead. Simple as that."

"Why didn't you come alone if you are here on peaceful terms?" Akane asked, her brow furrowed. Her left hand tightened around the handle of a kunai in plain sight, but Kitsuna didn't seem concerned. 

"Protocol." Kitsuna responded blankly, as if the answer were obvious. "As a rule of thumb, shinobi travel in threes, remember? And we don't get out very often. Taking a couple of my brethren with me isn't a crime, is it? They've as much a right to stretch their legs as any."

"I sincerely doubt that's the case." Daisato snapped.

Kitsuna sighed, a hand stealing backwards over her shoulder. She adjusted her wooden mask in place, though from this angle it appeared more as if she was scratching her head. "The way this is going, I'd say you're trying to pick a fight. And here I came to offer assistance."

"Why?"

"Let's say that your...ah...'mistress', or whatever you call her, is in my debt. And she will need all hands on deck to complete the task I've got lined up for her. It would be far easier to shelter you from your adversary so when the time comes, everything will be ready." Seeing that Dai was readying a scathing retort, she hurried to say, "And no, we aren't going to keep you against your will. This is strictly your choice."

"We've your word to go by and nothing else, how can we possibly trust that you guys won't backstab us?" Rasura asked from over Daisato's shoulder, and Kitsuna cocked an eyebrow. "In the end, I'm a stranger. There isn't a thing I could say that'll make you believe me." She responded without an ounce of concern. "But you've run out of real places to hide, or you wouldn't be here. Eventually you'll have to return to civilization for supplies and when you do, Akatsuki will capture and string you up as bait to draw Saiya out. _We_ can protect you in our compound, though."

"Since you know so much, perhaps you can explain why they want her in the first place." Akane inquired, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. All of it smelled fishy to her. This woman and her comrades went to an awful lot of trouble to hunt them down, and she admitted to knowing stuff she probably shouldn't.

"If I had to say, it's got to do with what she is."

"...the hell do you mean by that?!" 

Kitsuna held her hands up defensively. "Now now, I didn't intend it crudely. What I meant is that many people in the world have been waiting for somebody with her particular characteristics to be born, ourselves included. Do you have a _clue_ how insanely rare it is to find a person with zero elemental alignment?"

Daisato relaxed a little bit. The whole while he didn't sense any ill intent, but that could change. "What do _you_ want her for?"

Kitsuna's eyes switched back to his, and mirrored them with one eye being crimson and the other changed to the shade of a Byakugan. "Freedom."

Needless to say, this caught everybody off guard. But before any more questions could be asked, a low male voice called from just out of eyeshot. "Best cut it short, Kit. They've been sighted nearby and we've not much time to get out of here unseen."

Kitsuna turned towards the voice around the bend. "Which?"

"It's a large white owl, so that'll be Sasori of the Red Sand and Deidara. Same as before."

"Right. Keep vigilant. This won't be much longer." She turned back to the group. "Listen...not to be rude, but you're out of your depth. Make a decision."

"Wh--"

"Fine."

"Dai?!"

Daisato wheeled around to glare at them. "We've got no choice!" He barked. "How many options do you think we have?! Now is when we choose between one thing and another, so I'll pick the one we at least partially understand. You can't make this crap up! She's right, how can we expect to compete with Akatsuki? I can't protect everyone at once, here!"

"No one expects you to." Kuri responded gently, though she understood his outburst. The others aren't the greatest fighters, and are primarily healers and scientists. Dai was greatly looked up to as an assassin and strategist. He isn't the only one who could hold his own, but his frustration wasn't unreasonable. They were coming into contact with some major players with which they couldn't compete.

The others fell silent while Kuri and Uryu began packing up the few things set about the cavern. Most never see Daisato lose his cool, and it rattled Rasura and Isirami to the core, but they kept it together. Something about this situation had him more on edge than the rest of the gang. But no one disagreed. This was the blunt truth. They absolutely were 'out of their depth', as Kitsuna put it.

Kitsuna appeared relieved, and bent to pick up her discarded cargo belt. "Excellent. We'd best make haste, then. Before we're set upon."

 

_With You..._

 

When dawn illuminated the sky, you awoke facing a watery ray of sunlight where it lit a spot upon that wool blanket strung across the gap. You rolled over from where you'd been coiled like a spring against a slanted rock slab, always prepared to jump away at a second's notice, and aching all over. Last night's sleep had been anything but helpful. Each dark hour was spent in a state of confusion where troubled dreams meshed so seamlessly with reality that your mind never really sunk into that restorative embrace of deep slumber. If anything, you were more exhausted now than when you put your head down.

You rummaged about and extracted a handful of little hardtack biscuits, a large strip of smoked dried meat and a couple bits of dehydrated fruit encrusted with sugar. Last night you hadn't eaten much either, but it was your one solid meal of the entire day after the soldier pill. If nothing else, a slightly larger breakfast should help replenish some energy. There was another arduous run to look forward to, and you'd need all the vigor you could conjure for it. 

While eating this moderate breakfast, you gulped down another full bottle of water and consulted Kakuzu's map once more. You were far enough into Leaf territory that Konoha city itself was close, a few hours run at least. If you were going to get caught that was a good way to do it, so it was wise to veer away from this point and take a straight shot towards Kusagakure. There were some trade routes crisscrossing through the forest and if you remembered correctly, there'd been a handful of tent-towns springing up wherever these roads intersected at waystations or tradeposts. They were populated primarily with refugees nowadays and what passed as 'security' was close to ineffectual against such a large concentration of people. Guards would be easy to dodge since they'd be so preoccupied, though honestly they weren't difficult to deal with anyhow.

In spite of what dangers this posed to her country, the Hokage had been kind enough to permit homeless, frightened wanderers from allied countries to stay as long as they declared themselves before pitching a tent, mostly to keep crime at a minimum where possible and maintain a running total of how many were present. 

On the way through you realized that many of these people hailed from smaller countries. The Hidden Claw for instance had been struck so hard as of late that most of the land within its borders was no longer habitable. News anchors bespoke of tragedy and a remarkable will to live. It was one tear-jerker after another on the airwaves. While at the inn, the television hadn't been turned on whatsoever...while part of that had to do with drinking and sex, neither Itachi nor yourself had been interested in hearing more of the same sad story anyhow. Because that's what it was now: shithouse-crazy anarchists chopping off a motherfucker's head, or raping parents in front of their children before rounding them up and flaying them to death. Suicide bombers rushed headlong into crowded town squares in broad daylight and blew themselves sky high, taking about fifty innocents with them. There had even been reports of religious crusaders gone buck-wild talking to 'God' on a two-way radio, running through the streets with their blades held high, executing 'heathens' and setting people to the torch simply because they didn't agree with them. All kinds of lunatics had revealed themselves once they had the excuse of war.

Dissidents rallied forces to grab land and power. Ceasefires and treaties crumbled. Families were torn asunder, and survivors scattered to the four winds.

And all of them...every last pathetic one of them...was playing directly into Nagato Pein's hands.


	10. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With no place else to go, this is as close to 'home' as it gets, for now.  
> Too bad the peace doesn't last but a minute...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: Sooo very sleeeeepyyyy... z.z I wish I had a comfy bed. This one sucks. Say!!! I've got an idea for an anime fanfic crossover. I even have the most ridiculously implausible way to make it plausible. Two certain handsome terrorist bomber gentlemen could have a bromance, too. It'll be great fun! The question is, how I'd like the reader character to react in all of that, be it evil, good, or that fine line in-between. Assuming I don't forget the whole idea. This chapter reveals a bit more about your clan. It's kind of 'gangster', y'know...bit of Godfather, or a bit of Boardwalk Empire if you prefer, but not quite either. 
> 
> As always, thank you all so much for the reads and kudos and such! Enjoy! <3
> 
> Mood Music: 'Lucky You' - Deftones, 'Before I Leave This World' - Ivan Torrent, 'Grief' and 'In All My Dreams I Drown - from Devil's Carnival began playing when I wrote Itachi's part.

Homecoming

 

Travels proved blessedly uneventful, and you finally crossed into Kusagakure while sporting a bit of a grimace. This was the last damn place you wanted to be, which made it perfect. There aren't many who would consider searching here, so hopefully Akatsuki wouldn't start looking in the Grass until they ran out of rocks to flip over and trees to shake. While you remained baffled as to what exactly Pein wanted, for now you chalked it up to a newborn vendetta for the way things were left. It was a decent reason to believe in, and while instinct insisted there was more to it than that, you didn't want to invest too much thought in the subject until Itachi was taken care of. It is unwise to place a whole world of troubles onto your shoulders when you already have enough to deal with.

For now you were crossing a familiar region of the woods, glancing around to make sure you hadn't been followed. Alas, there's plenty of places to hide. By name alone it may sound innocuous; but the Grass country's landscape helped shape its people into notoriously cunning ninja, whether or not that's hard to believe. The term 'Village Hidden in the Grass' is lost on most anyone who comes here, and its easy to get why. While there _are_ vast plains; more noticeable are the ancient forests and gargantuan bamboo thickets populated by enormous mushrooms and toxic life. Kusagakure also had a few rivers slicing through its breadth, creating ravines that gouged into the earth like sword wounds. 

From here on out, you'd need to walk on eggshells more than usual. 

The Hidden Grass has a longstanding alliance with Konoha. Diplomacy has always been the axis upon which this nation turned and they would never intentionally upset an ally. You may be rogue from Kusagakure, but if it became known that you were in possession of Uchiha Itachi's corpse, they wouldn't hesitate to fork you over to the Leaf for diplomacy's sake. Not to mention when you broke in with Zetsu to torture and kill Shizune, fatally poisoning an innocent man in the process.

Oh! And lest we forget that day where you beat the living _hell_ out of their incursion force back in the Sound Ruins. But not before poisoning a watershed which turned out to filter across borders into other territories, culminating in a terrifying epidemic sparking mass hysteria. You also blinded Hyuuga Neji in Anarchy, but healed him before leaving...maybe _that_ scored some points in your favor? Earlier than that, you invaded Konoha with Kisame and Itachi, nearly slew Ino and Sakura in the process, and kidnapped Uzumaki Naruto...whom miraculously survived, and is in all likelihood still hot on Sasuke's trail. He evidently saw Itachi as an avenue to finding Sasuke. Considering that Sasuke swore revenge upon his brother, this isn't exactly far fetched.

_'I sure got away with a lot. I doubt I need to concern myself though, Sasuke might not speak a word of what happened and Kitsuna doesn't seem like a nark.'_ You mused idly while skimming around a wall. It didn't take long to work your way into the city, since you still had a working knowledge of the secret paths around here. It hadn't changed very much since you left. _'Odds are that I'm worrying too much.'_

It was a partially sunny day, so you wore those sunglasses bought in the desert and kept your hood up against the nip in the air. Prior to stepping into plain sight you secreted away anything that could be misconstrued as dangerous, and tried to blend in as a commoner when there was no choice but to venture out of the alleys. Now it was a matter of acting natural. It would be easier to go invisible and get to the compound, but you had to conserve as much energy as possible and there was no way of knowing how long you'd remain unnoticed.  
So you decided against expending chakra for the sake of convenience. The Gyaku compound is at the fringe of the city; but remains within the walls and none too close to any exits or entrances, either. This became a lengthy, nerve-wracking walk, and partway through you picked up a tail. Thankfully only a gaggle of inquisitive young academy students at least, so they weren't much threat. Didn't take long to realize that they were merely playing a game amongst themselves...pretending to be stalking undercover interlopers and such. Nervous or not, you continued to act natural, going so far as to turn down a street off the path and went window shopping. Maybe you were being extra paranoid, but for now a little paranoia paid off. The kids didn't follow you for long---they noticed a cell of three Leaf ninja walking down the street, and sneaked after them instead. You watched them vanish out of your periphery from behind those sunglasses, then, very much relieved to be rid of them, continued to pick through a colorful basket of fruit for a moment longer before ambling ahead. Should they of decided to press their silly game awhile further, you would've had to spend too much time out in the open leading them on. Right now there was no way of knowing how close the enemy was.

Took awhile more, but you made your way around to the Gyaku Compound. Upon approaching the plot of land you found only a towering, unfamiliar brick wall. This was likely built to conceal the compound from view: the city's last-ditch attempt to hide their shame, like an abused woman dabbing makeup onto her yellowing bruises. This brick wall, however, was overflowing at the top with Reapervine, telling you that this was indeed the right place. 

The brick face itself sported layers of graffiti, overflowing with filthy images and words; the most benign of which exclaimed, 'MURDERER', 'CHILD KILLER', 'TRAITOR', 'DEVIANT', and 'FREAK'. And the freshest, most prominent one was done in enormous scripted letters of an ominous nature. Expertly delineated in black, white and gray, the otherwise metallic script was splattered and surrounded by artistically rendered bloodstains. This ambitious artist had also begun etching lines and droplets of blood dripping upwards from the base of the wall, defying gravity in scarlet. But that was only an outline, and may never be completed.  
This singular elaborate bit of artwork boldly stated, 'SAIYA THE UNDYING'. Either by accident or design, the last word 'Undying' landed right above a word _so_ blurred and nearly indecipherable, that it read as either 'CUNT' or 'DONUT'. Given the overall tone of some other choice phrases, it was likely the former.

Inclining an eyebrow, you thought, _'Either Akatsuki will see that as billboard revealing where I am, or they'll think I'd never be stupid enough to stay here with_ that _splashed across the wall.'_ You continued to blink at it before turning the corner, and craned your neck to look up at the windows facing across the street. Nobody could be seen, anyway. Most people would be at work. And you had no alternative places to stay.

_'Can't be helped, I suppose.'_

When you were certain nobody was looking, you'd go invisible and phased through the outer wall and then rapidly materialized beside a dilapidated shrine. A glance towards the diminutive structure told you that it'd been desecrated by looters, same as the remainder of this place. You started forward, eyes skimming over the sheer ruin. Once this property had been resplendent, a mark of family pride. Now it was a fenced-in eyesore gone to shambles, choked by poisonous weeds and vines and spray painted much like the exterior brick barrier. One stretch of wall on the back of the nearest house boasted a huge graffiti mural, its colors shaded in almost lovingly. The five-pointed Gyaku emblem was depicted in black, purple and indigo. Beneath it in simplistic lettering, was the word 'EIDOLON'. You stared up at the image that's bigger than you were...for a second time in as many minutes, seemingly. Graffiti cans sat piled in a pyramid next to a torn satchel at one corner of the building, along with a rusting paint bucket missing its lid. You wandered away, eyes flitting back and forth over more of the same. The emblem was scattered all over, alongside various words and phrases that didn't altogether make sense. A totally different tone of voice echoed in here. 

Any offensive commentaries were glossed over by this... _artist_...whomsoever they might be. If you were anyone else; their, ahem, _devotion_ , would be a touch scary. Stalker vibes, even. Having not the foggiest idea who did this, you shook your head, pressing onwards. There was no sense in lingering upon this subject. If this person or group of people was around and turned out to cause you problems, they'd be dead in a blink.

As you moved on you noted that (strangely), there wasn't a single skeleton to be seen in this vicinity. Perhaps the same 'kind' soul responsible for the artwork also took pity on the dead and gave them a proper send off.

_You_ sure as hell hadn't.

After walking around behind the particular house you grew up in, you noticed that the tree you'd hung your brother from remained with a stained length of rope knotted in its largest branch, one frayed end swaying upon a gentle wind. Beneath where the corpse once swung were discolored, deformed clumps of paper stomped into the dirt from his very last project while alive. A few of them loosely resembled the paper cranes they were made as; except now with filthy, broken wings and snapped necks. You turned and ambled away towards the house front, which is when you heard them.

The voices of those kids from earlier, skulking about the yard. They were none too subtle since no one was expected to be here. To all appearances these brats weren't ninja yet, but they were definitely academy students. And they certainly were not the ones responsible for the graffiti.

"I'm tellin' ya, I kept seeing people sneak in here awhile ago."  
"Kind of like us, you mean?"  
"Shut up! What if its...y'know..."  
"Quit dreamin', this won't get us graduated any sooner! If we get caught in here, we're gonna be on bathroom duty for a week!"  
"Then lets not get _caught_."

You stood with your back to the house, listening. Since you knew beyond the shadow of a doubt you weren't seen entering here, that meant that either gangs came in here to goof off, or someone had been snooping for info. Perhaps both. Homeless individuals didn't make a habit of squatting on this poisonous-plant-laced property unless they were bold enough, especially if some type of Gyaku-groupies were hanging out here often. Also, Kusagakure was generally efficient at handling the homelessness problem, so there weren't many vagrants around here, especially not in the city. Then there was always the fear that the one who caused House Gyaku's fall would return.

That _you_ would return.

The children began to play about, feigning attacks and mocking hurt in a patch of land that had once been lush with emerald grass. You watched them pretend to be famous shinobi...one pulled his shirt up over his nose, tugged his coal black sweatband sideways across his head, and picked up a broken plank of wood, declaring that he was Zabuza, while the kid across from him grabbed a stick, peeled his lips back in an awkward toothy grin and pretended he was Kisame. They would begin to circle and feint while launching into elaborate, cumbersome insults, pretending to be in an epic battle between two Swordsmen of the Mist. Their friends laughed and joined the game, each taking up makeshift weapons and pretending to be somebody they admired.

Since it was obvious these kids weren't about to speak further about what they may or may not have seen, you went transparent and phased through another wall, and then went down below into the basement. You would turn solid again and weave through unlit subterranean corridors, eyes glowing so you could see. All the basements in this compound were connected by tunnels; with a handful leading out of the city primarily used to smuggle contraband in and out. With the way things had been left you weren't certain if any of them were compromised, or if war-displaced wanderers emboldened by your long absence had taken up refuge where they wouldn't be easily discovered. It was better to walk the extra distance just to be safe. 

Upon going further into the bowels of the underground, you realized that the looters hadn't exposed everything after all. There were stone-lined corridors which had hidden walkways branching off them, but they were _so_ elegantly concealed that the more oblivious thieves wouldn't be able to find any of these doors. Nor would they be able to open them if they tried: your father had been an extremely paranoid man, and jealously guarded his secrets. Even from other clansmen; whom he believed were scheming for headship of the family and thus, ownership of the company. To be fair, he was right. Your father was one of thirteen brothers and sisters, and only a third of those weren't possessed by ambition. Uncle Rokuro once said that they were, 'Raised on a steady diet of dog eat dog', and it was accurate far as anyone could tell. The phrase since adhered to your mind, never allowing you to forget it. You came to realize that it described a lot more in life than what he meant.

As for your mother, she was the middle child of five; and her siblings preferred to stay _far_ away from her once she married your father. According to mother, this was a blessing. Her one courageous brother died like an animal in the wars; and following his burial, her sisters became meek country mice content to live as far removed from conflict as possible. You only met your aunts on two separate occasions. Honestly, they were smart to keep their distance. After getting into smuggling illegal substances, the Gyaku Clan descended ever further into the depths of the criminal underworld, and gained a 'respectable' foothold there with rapid ease due to their extensive resources and contacts earned from the Distillery business. It was a lot like living a double identity. There were four notable 'great houses' in Kusagakure, and the Gyaku's had been one...both as a pillar of the community happy to help business flow, and as a primary force in the criminal world. This made the clan literally untouchable back then, but your parent's allies weren't necessarily yours. Who knows? If Gyaku Distilleries made a comeback, it could be well received.

House Gyaku (of course) weren't the only ones who had hands in the black market. Competitors sought to shake apart the clan's influence. There had been years of your childhood where you weren't allowed outside after nightfall, because of viciously bloody gang wars waged after dark. But you rarely to never saw any trouble yourself. And nor were you really involved in any of the gang-related business, more suffering random little inconveniences as a result of the family's more 'untoward' activities. It wasn't until later on that father attempted to get you involved, and you resisted as hard as possible. 

Back then, you had blinders on and were too naive to fully grasp what he was attempting to drag you into. You wanted to become a kunoichi instead, though it wasn't because you felt an overpowering need to learn self defense. While they weren't ninja, most of your relatives knew damn well how to gut a bastard like a fish. That, and _none_ of them tolerated bullshit. There was business, and the so-called 'real world' as they saw it. Personal affairs didn't mean much to them. Kakuzu would've fit in seamlessly. In another life, he could've been your eldest brother and father's favorite.

Glancing around, you expelled a soft sigh. Twas' strange, how much of your own story you had forgotten until you were confronted with the ruins of your past. Amusing that the very thing you strove to be rid of may yet have a use in your life, except on _your_ terms now, not the family's. 

Now you were able to find what you were searching for; one of the biggest safe rooms built to house a small group in case of emergency. These weren't the easiest places to find, and even harder to open, but as a ghost all you needed to do was slip through and reform within. The room was built solid like a bunker, with four foldable cots complete with narrow mattresses and a stack of blankets and pillows in vacuum-sealed bags in case insects should find their way here. It got cold down here at night, and there would be no heat. A sizeable stock of batteries promised that the camp lanterns and flashlights would be kept running for as long as possible. This space was also stocked with enough nonperishable food to feed four people for a month.

There was a deep sink and a pump connected to a clean water well, with a drain beneath which was presently latched shut. Nearby that was a cramped enclosure where one could do their 'business', with a floor-to-ceiling wall to conceal it. Immediately to the side of that (in an even _more_ cramped space) was a very basic shower stall. These rooms were built with the intention that people who needed to lay low could hide here for awhile, especially if others could run supplies to them when the month was up. 

While you already passed a couple of rooms which had been compromised, this one was thankfully untouched in its entirety. It was the most obscure one out of the bunch, and the heavy door was fashioned after a vault, with a wheel to fasten twin steel bar deadbolts into place. You made sure they were engaged. While it gave a metallic complaint, the bars snapped across and held fast when you tested the door, to see if it'd wobble. There. Some extra peace of mind. Unless an enemy had brute strength at their disposal, they'd be hard pressed to gain entry. The door itself was so overtaken with rust on the outside that it wouldn't be easy to open, to say nothing of the deadbolts. Or they could simply try and break down the hefty wall beside it.

You stuffed batteries into five of the lanterns and moved about the room (three small and two large), setting them up individually where they'd illuminate the area nicely. This wasn't an ideal setup, it would be best if there was a generator to power lights. But the reason these rooms weren't stocked with generators is because when the rooms were built, they wanted to try and eliminate as many dangerous factors as possible. And generators at that point had a bad reputation of malfunctioning. The most mechanically flawed ones soundlessly expelled carbon monoxide and downed whole families in their sleep, while others exploded once overheated.

Now that you felt a little safer, you set up three cots and jammed them together against an empty corner in order to make one large bed, and shoved a heavy crate against the last one in order to keep the edges pressured together, rather than shimmying apart whenever you might sleep on them. The pillows were then flung against the corner unceremoniously, and blankets were spread out haphazardly. You couldn't care less about making it perfect. This is a goddamn safe room, and you'd traveled miles while hunted by some of the most deadly men to walk the planet in order to find a place to resurrect your dead boyfriend in peace. You were fortunate that a room such as this was intact, _period_.

With a sigh you shed your jacket and cargo belt, tossing both down on the makeshift bed before letting gravity take over. The cot's metal frames gave a little squeal in response but could easily bear your weight, and there you lay in the cold silence of the underground, listening for anything that could give an enemy away. Thankfully there was nothing; or at least if there was, it was impossible to hear through these sturdy walls.

At first you closed your eyes and then reopened them, realizing you were about to doze off. It would be too easy to fall completely asleep right now. Last night that you slept did no good. You felt as if you didn't sleep at all, and there were too many worries creeping around your brain. You also didn't have as much chakra as you wanted at the moment to comfortably revive Itachi. And, you would have to rectify that. But for once you didn't feel as if Zetsu's eyes were upon you, and exhaustion blanketed your consciousness heavier than before, making it a struggle to keep your bloodshot eyes open.

With how life had been going, this is the first time in years you actually _felt_ alone. There weren't any friends nearby that you were aware of, and you were being tracked at this very moment. By making the journey fast as possible with only one stop, you managed to buy some time. But this begged the question of 'how much'? These thoughts never ceased. You had certain things to take into account in order to be successful.

While thinking on it, your eyelids drooped and then you _did_ pass out, legs hanging over the bed and arms folded beneath your head. 

 

As the screen in the theater of your mind leapt into focus, you realized belatedly that you stood in a woodland of increasing familiarity. The slope of the land, those footpaths looping between trees...this was Konoha, except without the tents from earlier, and the city was absent. You wheeled around one huge tree trunk, and nearly plowed headlong into a wall of ebon fire, barring your escape. With a short yelp you halted before landing in it, and turned to go back the way you came. But now everything was opposite. Firstly, instead of leaves, each tree was rife with a mantle of shadowy flame. Shimmering above and around without a sound, not even so much as a _crackle_ , you weren't sure what kept the fire from shifting where it crowded upon twigs and branches.

Secondly, night fell, except the sky was white studded with black stars and a burnt sickle moon. While looking around at the pallid sky, a pale substance began to float upwards before your very eyes. Stepping further away from the burning barrier, you reached up and caught some, and blinked down at your hand.

_'Ash.'_

You began walking forward, glancing this way and that, but you wouldn't get far. It didn't take long to realize how close and stale the air had become, and continued to thicken with every breath until it caught in your chest and you could no longer inhale. You became dizzy from the lack of oxygen and pivoted to place a hand upon a wide tree trunk at your side. Except the bark was razor sharp, and was too painful to shift your weight against. In response you retracted your hand, but it felt as if it was glued in place. 

This would normally be a good time to panic, but you kept calm and strained to pull free, enduring the sensation of knives cutting your palm deeper with each tug, denying you freedom. Blood began to slip from beneath your palm, running into channels along the bark. _'This is nothing.'_ You told yourself. _'I just have to...'_ Your thought broke off when you realized that instead of flowing down, the scarlet liquid slithered upwards through the treebark grooves and out of sight. You didn't know why yet, but now there was a strange sense of doom.

When watching that, the tree began to morph before your very eyes, and the sense of dread tripled in volume as you stared, continually struggling to pry your hand free. But the harder you tried, the deeper the bark latched in to your flesh, tattering your palm with its razor edges. The bark began to meld together, molding into fingers bound to a palm, then a wrist, then an arm...a shoulder, a chest, and the collar of a cloak. The striations of bark contorted and bonded, pushing out further, shaping into a cloaked person with an enormous flytrap closed over his head. 

_'Zetsu...!?'_

While he melted into sight one of his hands struck forward and caught your throat, turning and slamming your back into the tree trunk. Abruptly your trapped hand was wrenched free, the flesh tattered with some bits remaining stuck in the razor bark. You refused to emit any choking sounds and smashed a fist against the crook of his elbow in an attempt to make him falter long enough to escape, but it did nothing and you faltered against his iron grip. 

_'C..can't...breathe...'_

As if sensing this, his digits dug against each side of your throat tightened and pressed you harder to the trunk; and the sensation of tiny blades catching against each part of your body set in. Blood began to burble out of what felt like over a hundred wounds made at once, and as you again strained to loosen his grip with your one useful hand, the flytrap maw parted. Despite that the world had gone fuzzy at the edges you could still see that within this enormous plant mouth was Zetsu, as expected.

Though _unlike_ what you expected, his white side was a bloodless Itachi with one wretched cataract eye, staring lifelessly out as he continued to choke you. His off hand wrung at yours painfully, as if prepping to snap your wrist. Blood curled over your hand, around your sides, over your shoulders and from the back of your head, beads clinging to your skin, clothing and hair while countless tiny globules floated upwards with the ash, towards the putrid sky. A bit touched the fire-leaves, and a miniscule _'hsssss!'_ issued out from above. But what was happening above didn't matter. Your eyes were sliding in and out of focus. You couldn't breathe, you've been oxygen-deprived for a bit too long...this _couldn't_ be him. This monster _couldn't_ have eaten Itachi.

But he had. You knew you weren't seeing things when the sick amalgam of Zetsu and Itachi lurched forward, nose to nose with you so his heartless glare couldn't be avoided. When speaking, he growled in dual voices like a possessed man.

 

_"Why am I still **DEAD** , Saiya?"_

 

You awoke with a gasp and one hand flew up to touch your throat, as if checking for fingerprint bruises. Of course, it was a nightmare and nothing more. How long were you out? The lanterns hadn't burnt through their batteries yet, and you sensed that you were very much alone. Rolling onto your side, you reached over and hooked the cargo belt strap with an index finger and dragged it closer. Itachi's scroll was easy to find. You extracted it and stared down at the simple object in hand, wondering how best to get started.  
Whether or not that was a bad dream, he was right. You couldn't wait too long. And then of course was the horrible, gnawing, baseless worry that his soul wouldn't be accessible now. That he moved on to a place you couldn't reach or follow.

Heart heavy as before, you put the scroll down, got up then pushed some boxes and crates of supplies against the empty corner beside what served as the bathroom, and lastly unfolded the last cot close to where the water pump and drain was. One crate beside the bathroom was loaded with clean folded towels, packed neatly into a sealed plastic bag. You brought some out and began filling a bucket with water. When it was full, you took up the corpse scroll. 

Well, no time like the present. That nap and nightmare helped reclaim some energy and additional motivation to get started. Yet, it was with a touch of apprehension that you summoned Itachi's body from the scroll so that he would land on the cot. Instantly, the scent of blood disturbed the air, and you stared down at his slack form.  
In each vicious year of your life, never had you wanted to see this image. Not even on the seldom occasions when he pissed you off. This was turning out to be tougher than you thought. And it was sad, you reflected, that neither of you could admit that you loved each other directly. It was written in a letter, it was said to another person, both times encouraged out into the open by death. Just how damaged _were_ you two, to be unable to say three simple words that are overused daily by hundreds of thousands of people? Was it shell shock or denial? Fear? All three?

Originally you were prepared and ready to face what would come, but that was in the beginning of this whole ordeal. Days later, you dreaded to look upon him. It's not another pathetic corpse. This is _Itachi_. You had to be extra careful with his body, and in more than the normal sense. The trick is bringing him back without the illness wreaking havoc on his insides, and without the same eye damage as before. While you learned he was sick, you did _not_ know if he was born with this. Sasuke didn't know about it for sure, or else he wouldn't have been surprised to hear what you told him. That could be taken as a good sign. When Sasuke was young, Itachi either hadn't come down with his disease yet, or it wasn't noticeably severe. Besides. If ANBU knew he wasn't healthy, he wouldn't have made the cut at such a young age.

While you reasoned with yourself how to handle this, you had to strip him down to his underwear to find all the wounds and heal them, cleaning the blood and grime away before treating each one. This wasn't a big deal, it's not as though you haven't seen him naked before. And you were sure his nether region was basically unharmed, anyway. Most serious wounds were on his torso with a handful of them scattered across his legs. It took an hour or so, but you finished the job of cleaning him up and removing his external injuries. You paused in wiping away a last trail of dry blood from his mouth. He appeared to be sleeping this way, with naught but his smallclothes on. This made it easier to face him.

Now for the internal damage.

Hours later, you finally got through buttoning up the detritus that was his innards. You lost track of time and kept at it until the job was done, reserving the worst parts for last. That included Itachi's eyes (which were totally shot) and making sure that his sickness died with him, and would not also revive when he did. The virtue of doing things this way meant you could resort to means you normally can't use while the subject is alive and very much receptive to pain. It didn't involve scalpels or anything, but chakra can be thrice as agonizing when used in certain ways. You needn't concern yourself with hurting him (which was a grim fact), but you would see this done right. For fuck's sake, you managed to put Deidara and Kakuzu back together, and they were practically ruined down to a molecular level. The sole reason why this was harder now is not because of _what_ , but _who_. 

It took a great deal of finesse on your part, but the job was done. The disease was banished, and now you knelt at the head of the cot, removing your hands from over his closed eyes. You chanced a peek, carefully opening one eye after another, and noticed that they were whole again, no longer grayed with reflective cataracts...actually, upon consideration, you realized you'd never seen his eyes as pure black as they were right now. There had been this 'off' sort of quality to them, approaching a hue closer to coal...more dull, not lustrous. You let out a held breath. 

What a relief. That ridiculously long healing session wasn't in vain.

You gently thumbed his eyelids closed again, and crossed your arms beside him, putting your head down for a minute. This shouldn't be so hard. At first, you thought you'd be only _too_ ecstatic to do this for him...but you had come to realize, it may not fully eliminate the eye situation. For now, the repairs could potentially last Itachi's whole life. He tends to use Sharingan constantly when fighting, or otherwise, when speaking with an enemy. The strain should have rendered him blind long before you met him, given how often his eyes tended to leak blood when using the more powerful techniques. But another temporary fix isn't going to cut it. You said you'd figure this thing out, and you intended to do so. This Yoriwara Clan is a perfect place to start. They must _surely_ have an abundance of information gained throughout the ages.

Straightening up, you looked down at his peaceful face. With a single blink a memory of the nightmare betrayed you: for a split second you could've sworn his head was coal black and ghastly white, with cataract eyes turned lifelessly up at you.

_**'Why am I still DEAD, Saiya?'** _

Your throat itched, around the sides that ached where nonexistent fingers buried hard into the flesh. 

You shook your head. No. Now is no time to dawdle.

You arose, thinking on this. Resurrections aren't ready-made out of a box. You did it differently for each person, depending on the circumstances of their death, on how long their soul and their corpus parted company. All the damage was mended here, and you took extra care to constrict your chakra so its nature was perfectly balanced and neutral...not necrotic black, not whiter than sin, but _neutral_. Presently your chakra was a luminous incandescent silver, as if it were mercury turned to vapor. You remembered seeing this color of energy once before, when healing the minimal damage on Pein's Rinnegan. You didn't say anything to anyone, but you'd never seen your own chakra turn that color before and wrote it off as nothing. In hindsight, that most likely had to do with being so close to the person who cast the seal upon you. You banished those thoughts and turned to the task at hand and decided to concentrate, gathering up more chakra.

This was the moment that could get you discovered. 

The intensifying mass of energy alone would be a red flag to the enemy, particularly if they possessed any supersensory ninja. And you'd be completely vulnerable during this procedure. If the ritual was disrupted, not only could you be killed, but Itachi may never be able to return to this world. 

Resolved, you closed your eyes and continued to draw in more chakra.  
Failure is not an option.

 

_Meanwhile, in the Land of Fire..._

 

Tatsuo was wandering aimlessly between merchant stalls in the sprawl surrounding Konoha's massive city walls, while he considered entering the city itself. It may not be a smart plan, they _are_ after Lady Saiya. And they knew he's one of her subordinates. Returning here was a dicey move, though he counted on the current state of things to cover his presence. Add to that the fact that he didn't look exactly the same as before, and there was potential that things may go smoothly. Tatsuo's sources indicated that Saiya passed through here with a man before, and they were keeping a very low profile. Unless you knew what you're looking for, you'd miss them. He hoped they might've lingered to restock supplies or something, but unless they were in the city itself, he had no such luck, even with his Byakugan.

He handed over a list and some money, then waited and watched the merchant carefully pack a bag with the requested supplies. While working, the woman peered at him from around the stack of crates she stood beside. "Say, you're one of them Hyuuga boys, yeah?"

"Yes, I am."

"Don't see a mark on your forehead. You're from the main house, then?"

"I suppose you could say that." He answered, wishing this wasn't what she chose to talk about. It's an uncomfortable subject. She picked up on his distaste and shook her head, offering the full canvas bag by the strap. "Here ya go, rich boy. Maybe you should head inside soon. Not everyone's a fan of your house. They'll try to mug ya."

"Much as I appreciate the advice, I assure you that I can handle anything they throw at me." 

She laughed. "Overconfidence ain't a virtue, son."

"Let's just say that my sensei's an exceptional woman. I learned everything I could from her." He smiled, and bowed his head once. "Thank you for the supplies. I'll be on my way." Her eyes followed him, scanning from head to toe. He was handsome, alright. Maybe he's one of those accustomed to his looks and silver tongue getting him past locked doors. He could sure get past _her_ locked door anytime.

Though while walking away, Tatsuo thought on her advice. It would be nightfall soon, and he needed a place to stay if there was one to be had. So he did as she suggested and went in, slipping past the guards without a second thought while they were too busy with a group of thieves and an angry merchant to notice. This city was extremely lively inside as well as out. The streets milled with packs of civilians and shinobi alike, and Tatsuo knew with his eyes alone that he wouldn't necessarily blend in. Maybe it would've been wiser to try and hide his forehead as if he were part of the Hyuuga Branch Houses, but he decided not to. Now it was a little too late. The Branch Houses are bigger, more 'common' seeming, but pretending may not offer protection one way or another.

He noticed a ramen stand, and ducked inside. There was (surprisingly) no one eating at the moment, and he sat down and waited, lowering his burden down onto the floor. "Welcome to Ichiraku's!" Said a rather pleasant man, who was wiping his hands on a white towel. "What'll it be?"

Tatsuo smiled. "I'll take a large bowl of your best ramen, whatever you decide that is...I'm quite hungry and I have no preference. And green tea to drink, please, if it's caffeinated." 

"Sure, no problem!" He turned to address his daughter, and Tatsuo extracted a book and pencil from an inner coat pocket. No sooner did he begin thumbing through the well-worn pages did voices draw nearer, and a boisterous blond shoved past the canvas flaps and hopped onto a stool.

"Aaaah, Naruto! Long time no see! What'll it be, your favorite?"

"Yeah!!! Sounds great, Pops!" 

"Comin' right up!"

A much more reserved silver-haired man stepped inside, followed by an irritated pinkette. When they placed their own orders, Tatsuo remembered their names: Kakashi and Sakura. He sighed, tapping the worn eraser of his pencil on a blank page. He _knew_ coming here was a bad idea. But there wasn't much in the way of food outside the walls. If there had been any, it'd been bought up hours prior to his arrival, so it was a matter of time before he had to come inside anyway. He ran out of hardtack a day ago and had one water bottle left, with only a handful of Saiya's mint soldier pills remaining for emergencies. He found himself dodging Akatsuki these days, and that meant his travels taking unexpected detours which steadily burnt through his supplies.

When the owner's daughter placed Tatsuo's order down first, Naruto blinked, having expected to be served first-- he didn't notice they weren't alone. He stared at this guy, and his eyes widened. "Ah, thank you miss. It looks and smells incredible." Tatsuo said, accepting the mug of tea she offered next. Ayame blushed and nodded almost eagerly. "Thank you, enjoy!" Tatsuo's voice wasn't as bold and brash as Naruto's. He was soft spoken, yet it held an underlying current of power and authority, making his tone carry without effort. This man must be a captivating speaker. It made her weak in the knees. 

"Hey..."

_'Here we go.'_ Tatsuo almost sighed in his cultured voice and looked at Naruto, who was two seats away with Kakashi and Sakura on his other side. "Yes?"

"Have we met?"

"Not officially, no." Was Tatsuo's honest response. He picked up his cup of tea and took a sip.

Naruto, who isn't terribly good at being quiet, turned to Sakura and Kakashi, and in a stage whisper, said, "But he looks really familiar, who IS this guy?"

"Why don't you a--"

"Naruto!!" A new voice, from outside. "See Neji? I _knew_ we'd find them here. Listen, we're being sent on a mission, our squads are going to team up. The Hokage wants us to report to her office in the morning." The woman pushed a flap aside and stepped in, a man with pale eyes and lengthy brown hair ducking under as well. 

"Tenten, Neji, what a surprise. I wonder why we didn't receive word sooner?" Sakura said, turning to Kakashi, who lifted a shoulder. "We're being informed _now_. That counts, doesn't it?"

"Hey you guys, why don't you sit down and have dinner with us? My treat!" Naruto offered. With his spirits high, he was in a generous mood. They cleared a mission with a high payout recently and to celebrate, he informed Kakashi and Sakura that they were going out to dinner.

"Uh...sure, why not?" Tenten caved when her stomach protested its emptiness, and she looked at Neji, who was now watching Tatsuo out the corner of an eye. Tatsuo, on the other hand, was minding his own business, flipping pages in his book with one hand and with the other, clipped a hardboiled egg piece between his chopsticks. "Yes. Fine by me." Neji responded, sitting next to Tatsuo while Tenten sat beside Naruto.

"ALRIGHT!!! So we have another mission already guys? What's it about, huh?"

Tatsuo fished a piece of meat out of the bowl, and decided not to say anything until Neji did. They saw one another in passing a couple of times at the hotel in Anarchy, and Neji wasn't raised a fool. He knew damned well what was going on. That he was involved with Gyaku Saiya, the woman who took his sight away then gave it back. While the others were chattering away (Kakashi mostly read and added his two cents in occasionally), Neji finally turned more towards Tatsuo. "You work with that woman. What're you doing here?"

Tatsuo finished chewing some noodles, then pressed a napkin against his mouth. "Hmm, if I had to say...I'm here looking for that _same_ woman."

"What? She's here?" Neji was alarmed to say the least. Ever since you healed him, there had been this on and off pain, as if your chakra didn't agree with him. Amazingly enough he managed to get past it, and that poison no longer existed within his body. Tatsuo lowered his napkin and tapped the pencil eraser on the corner of a page, turning more towards Neji. "I must say, I'm impressed. You _survived_. Not many can say that." There was no sense in pretending he knew nothing. It wouldn't get him anywhere. 

"Of course I survived." Neji answered coldly. "I could do no less. And contrary to what she believes, I owe her nothing. She _put_ me in that predicament."

Tatsuo laughed lightheartedly. "My my, but you _do_ have some gall." He remarked; and though he did so rarely, allowed a smirk to curl at a corner of his mouth. "Listen well, white-eyed brother of mine...this is hardly the place to have such a conversation. I'd be content to speak of it after dinner, though. You can choose where, if it pleases you."

Neji's expression hardened. He didn't like this man's tone. Who was he, to act so high and mighty? If he were a part of the main Hyuuga house, Neji would've recognized him by now. Hell, if he was a part of _either_ house, they'd have met before. This is the first time he's spoken with the guy formally. But was right, surely they would need to have a talk after dinner.

"There are training yards on the other side of town. One has three posts near the center, and a memorial stone. It's the third area."

Tatsuo calmly lifted his drink and took a sip. "And here I was about to suggest the roof of the Hokage building." His answer was casual as it was ballzy, as though he wasn't an intruder making a recklessly insane suggestion. This man's relaxed response to the whole conversation should be unnerving. "Training Yard Three, then. I will go there once I finish my meal. Also, I shall be alone, but _you_ are free to bring as many friends as you wish." A pause. "It's likely that you won't get the information you want out of me so easily if you fail to come alone, however. As previously said, these topics are not for all to hear."

Neji made no effort to gratify that with a response of his own. Whoever he is, this guy was _so_ composed and unfazed by the potential that he could be ambushed and outnumbered, that Neji found himself intrigued. He watched Tatsuo out of his periphery, who was once again writing in his notebook. Neji noticed that the language he was using appeared to be a series of shorthand codes so complex that it would give the Cryptanalysis Team a month-long headache. Come to think of it, Neji recalled that Gyaku Saiya's subordinates used something like that. While they are intensely thorough in dusting their tracks (especially after certain events), here and there bits of information were collected about them. What made them such a curiosity; is while it's documented that Gyaku has an increasingly widening network surrounding her, no one knows what name this shadowy organization went by or if they had any particular goals.  
In the Gyaku Wine Cellar incident, the scant amount of intel gathered lead to absolutely nothing. The cryptographers just couldn't break down this particular organization's form of encrypted language, and torture got them nowhere either. There hadn't been enough to go by, and they needed a better example of that work. But this mysterious man here... _surely_ that notebook of his would be a decent place for the cryptology team to get started again. Not to mention that Neji had a _serious_ grudge against that woman at present.

While Neji thought and barely touched his food, Tatsuo finished and arose from his seat. He counted out some cash, and handed it over to that pretty young woman Ayame, with her petite hand tentatively outstretched. "Thank you for a delicious dinner. I may have to revisit this stand next time I'm around." His smile was such that she practically melted on the spot, and as he turned, again shouldering his burden, added, "Ah, and keep the change. Have a pleasant evening." He excused himself out of the ramen stand and melded into the stream of pedestrians wandering by. Ayame rapidly composed herself and thumbed through the cash.

"Wait a minute, is this... _what?!_ Th...this is WAY too much!!"

"Really? Wha..." The old man peeked over her shoulder and blanched. "Wh...AAAAH!! Doesn't he know how to count?!" While they were fussing over the wad of money, Kakashi pocketed his book and turned more towards Neji. "Well now, that was a tense conversation. Do you actually plan to meet him?"

"Yes." Came Neji's immediate response. "I must."

"Alone?"

"That's the intention."

"What do you know about this guy, Neji?" Tenten asked, to which Neji averted his pale gaze to the side, where 'that man' had been sitting. "If you know next to nothing about him, going alone may not be the best plan."

"That nameless city, I saw him there. He was working with Gyaku Saiya in some capacity."

Now it was more obvious as to why he felt he had to do this. "Then Tenten's right, Neji. You shouldn't go alone." Sakura said, a bit concerned. "She's bad news."

"Yeah that woman is pretty twisted, who knows what her cronies are like? She's sort of a less scaly Orochimaru, isn't she?" Naruto added, frowning, then slurped up a cascade of noodles and began talking with a full mouth. "I mean, she wasshh reshponshible for--"

"Enough." Neji cut in, and any warmth had drained from his voice, spare little though it'd been in the first place. He paid for his own food, which he hardly had four bites of, and exited. Kakashi sighed and stood up from his perch on the stool. He didn't order a thing, being one who doesn't eat often in public. "I'll follow him. You guys catch up when you're ready." 

He left.

 

_With You..._

 

You had the chakra you needed, and set about drawing a blood seal on the floor around Itachi's cot, this time inscribing the innermost symbols with his blood. You healed the little cut made on his palm, and turned to survey your handiwork. So far, so good.

Now you began an extensive series of handseals, forward and backwards, six sets of twelve. Then you paused, turning a palm upwards. Your hand overflowed with what is easiest thought of as quicksilver flame, and it pulsed as if alive with its own heartbeat. You turned towards Itachi and lowered it so the back of your hand touched above his heart. 

You closed your eyes and like with the others before him, began what was, in effect, a summoning. But instead of a beast, it pulls a soul closer to oneself.

_\ Soul Summon: Uchiha Itachi. \_

For a long few minutes you didn't count, there was nothing. And right as you were about to redouble your efforts...

_[ ...Saiya... ]_

His wonderfully familiar voice filled your mind; distant at first, and suddenly you felt him close by. His presence flooded into the blood circle, and enveloped around you. You wanted desperately to open your eyes, but knew you wouldn't be able to see him. The urge to cram him into his body was present, but you knew you had to give the option. What if he wanted to stay dead, after all that had been wrought in his life? You couldn't begrudge him that. Bringing Itachi back forcibly would be a torture if he didn't want to be here any longer. Instead; _\ Please come back. \_ The words in your own head were scarcely a whisper, practically terrified he would refuse. You kept it from overflowing into your heart, but the fear was there. As a spirit, he could effortlessly detect the bitter sensation that he'd never seen you outwardly display before.

_[ I will. ]_

Relief. Utter, absolute relief. Ever since admitting to yourself that you loved this man, you realized it couldn't end here. This was the weakest and most vulnerable you've ever allowed yourself to become in front of somebody else. Perhaps the reason this was so hard is because you'd never had an emotionally positive attachment to the person you were reviving. Now that was different. Come to think of it, you didn't have very many genuine relationships over the course of your life.

You opened your eyes and blinked down at the body before you, with your hand hovering inches above. The chakra shifted and gleamed...in a way, it emulated characteristics of each element. While being tangibly real as earth, it undulates like flame does, felt cool as water, yet remained weightless as air and brilliant as lightning. Its silvery appearance bent light and threw shadow, displaying all colors without _being_ any of them. Wondering if it was less detrimental than your normal black chakra, you carefully tilted your palm and the energy flared up a moment before rolling off like fluid and spilling upon his chest, where it absorbed through his skin. His body became limned in light, and you could barely feel his soul pour into that point on his chest where the energy touched. Then...stillness.

Right as you shifted in place to press two fingers beneath his jaw line; a hand grasped your wrist and his chest expanded, heaving in a breath with his lips parted in a deep breath. You looked worriedly down at him and passed your free hand over his torso, sensing for abnormalities. There were none so far, but his chakra was nearly at zero. The stress of the soul's reentry into the body drains energy down to nearly fatal levels, meaning the one who has been resurrected always had to sleep, if not immediately, then shortly thereafter. 

"Welcome back." You murmured to him, and his iron grip loosened upon your wrist. "You're not angry." He observed softly after a moment, obsidian eyes searching yours for something you weren't aware of. You shook your head, sitting against a hip on the edge of his cot. "Why would I be?"

"With things left as they were, I--"

"--you're not at fault, Itachi. You did what you had to."

His fatigue was blatant, but that didn't prevent surprise from registering across his features. "You knew?"

"We have much to talk about, but that'll wait until later. You're too depleted and it's an effort for you to stay awake. I can restore your chakra, but that will take awhile." You turned and pulled one of the thicker blanket from the beds in the corner and draped it over him, then leaned down and placed a kiss at the corner of his mouth. Itachi lazily turned his head towards yours in response, perhaps intending to catch that kiss on his lips instead. "For now, sleep. I'll be here."  
You straightened up and wove signs; rat, ram, ox, bird, snake, and drowsiness overtook him in a wave. He struggled to stay awake at first but couldn't resist for long, and sunk heavily into slumber. You stood up, making a few more handseals to call five clones into being. Upon stationing them around the inside of the room, you had them conduct a multi-layered healing sanctuary zone, not unlike before in the Rain with Nagato Pein's bodies. Except this one's more complex. The chakra exuded would also concentrate on replenishing Itachi's energy reserves. And of course; no one apart from yourself could get inside unless they managed to overpower the jutsu. 

Speaking of which, there had been something or someone approaching uncomfortably fast. Naturally, this was bound to happen, with only 'when' being the question. The enemy must be delayed. Itachi would be fine here, he was well protected and you wouldn't stray far from here in case anything happened. But staying here wouldn't help the situation; if anything, sticking around in one place would only lead them closer. You looked down at Itachi's sleeping form, and sighed. "I'm sorry. I guess that I can't keep my promise to the letter. But I'll be close by, at least." He probably couldn't hear you, or if he did it would be in his dreams. Right now, you couldn't see any alternatives. So you turned ghost and rose through the ceiling.

They were close.


	11. Underestimated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For once, you aren't the one in over your head.  
> THEY are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: Y'know, I had to stop myself from writing an, 'ITS OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAAND!!!' joke in here. XD' Anyhow. About Your (Saiya's) abilities, I was looking something up on Narutopedia that I wasn't clear on and it seems that, through a merry accident, Saiya's abilities share a few fences with Pein's Preta path, or 'Hungry Ghost Realm' (the corpse itself is even from the Hidden Grass. Whoa.) I never paid attention to this before, but I was all 'well, I'll be damned!!!!!' when I was double checking some of his skills for another chapter. I swear I had no idea, or else the Pein whom Saiya recalls being her sensei as a child wouldn't be the Human path version of Pein, but I maintain that it made sense to use Human path because he brainwashes her (you!) later and seals memories away, and Human path is the very one whom messes with people's heads. 
> 
> Itachi: -snoozing after having been resurrected- z_z
> 
> Rhig: ...ok, that's cute. He should totally have a weasel plushie.

Underestimated

 

_Not Long Ago..._

 

"'Go west' he says, hnnn." Deidara growled to his reflection, mocking Sasori's voice. He knelt down, submerging his mouthed hands in the stream, and watched water flow over his palms while straining to hear details. What he got instead was indiscernible words, conveyed by two voices floating over from behind a tree. One was Sasori's of course, but the other was distorted. Nevertheless, Dei knew who it would be. The Puppet Master in question was communing with an astral projection of Pein. This was strictly to give their status report before delving further into enemy territory. They were right inside an enormous forest in Kusagakure during their search for two specific people. There was no easy way to traverse the Hidden Grass undisturbed these days, save passing through venomous terrain even the most tempered shinobi preferred to evade. But that's a obstacle they were willing to endure; this forest would mostly conceal their approach towards the city, and that's what they wanted.

Deidara kept his hands so motionless, that a sleek fish dressed in shimmering green and silver scales went skating obliviously above his fingers, followed by several more racing upstream. Dei contemplated chomping a fish out of the water with a mouth-palm; when he noticed Sasori returning out the corner of an eye. The blond chose to splash a handful of crystalline water against his face instead, hoping the cool fluid would help ease his fatigue. Neither man got to sleep for nearly a week, and also haven't eaten a decent meal in days. Two facts which were wearing them _both_ down. "So what'd Leader have to say, un?" Deidara hadn't been very interested in speaking with Pein directly; so he left that up to Sasori, whom was a bit more diligent in these things.

"Nothing worth repeating." Sasori brushed his partner's question off, to which Deidara scowled. "Really? You talked to him for, like, _three quarters of an hour_ and nothing was important, hn?"

Sasori eyed the other. He had a mind to tell the other artist off, considering that Dei could've been a part of the conversation. But Sasori managed to hold his tongue rather than snap at his partner. They were both tired and a bit testy, but Deidara was worse for wear than Sasori. He had been using his bird sculptures for them to fly around on, meaning they could cover greater distances with ease, but not without the expense of Deidara's chakra. They had to change sculptures occasionally so as not to appear suspicious, having learned their lesson from multiple occasions. For now, Sasori did scarcely more than bark demands and talk with Pein. Deidara wasn't depleted of chakra, but he wasn't in a fantastic mood either. They've both had worse to contend with.

Once he stopped considering tearing Deidara a new one, Sasori could see his point. They _had_ been chatting for awhile. "Only that there's been further evidence that Itachi is dead, and Saiya took his body. She was last sighted in Yugakure, according to Leader's new best friend Sasuke."

"So much for going west...and wait, what? Sasuke, un?"

"Yes. Sasuke." Sasori tilted his head in an almost mechanical fashion, out of habit. "I didn't get every detail on that subject; but as I understand it, the younger Uchiha has joined our little group for reasons of his own." Before Deidara could launch into further questions, Sasori headed him off at the pass. "Anyway, don't count this area out just yet, Deidara. It helps to know that she may not be on the move if Itachi's dead. We may sense nothing now, but--" He broke off, drawn into a new and uncomfortable silence. He could feel it; a spike in someone's energy level, as if they were drawing on their reserves for a huge jutsu. There was a fine tremor in the ground, _so_ miniscule that it was almost imperceptible, and then...nothing. It was as though the world shivered with gooseflesh, and Sasori felt the back of his neck prickle. 

"What the hell was that, un?" 

"Let's find out." 

 

_Meanwhile in Konoha, at the Third Training Ground..._

 

Neji arrived to discover Tatsuo perched casually atop one of the posts, moon-gazing and taking sips from a flask. He approached, and Tatsuo turned his head and smiled at the Hyuuga prodigy. "Now, what would you like to talk about?" To this, Neji almost twitched. Something about this man's level-headedness was nearly unnatural. He wasn't sure how or why, but it was getting beneath his skin. "Let's have first things first. You know my name, but I don't know yours." Neji pointed out coldly, perhaps a bit sharper than intended.

"Yes, my apologies." He hopped up, now standing atop the post, and bowed. "Hyuuga Tatsuo, at your service. A pleasure to formally meet you, Neji." As he straightened up. "Though I doubt you feel the same." 

Neji didn't respond right away. He was examining this man, attempting to place him at one of the compound houses. But for the life of him, he couldn't. Tatsuo waited patiently, and watched the other with those luminous Hyuuga eyes. Neji noted Tatsuo's had more of a moonlike appearance, with only a tiny hint of the typical lavender hue. One almost wouldn't notice that. But to another Hyuga, such as himself, it would've been memorable. "You're not from around here." An observation, rather than a question.

"Ah. You're only _half_ incorrect. See, I'm what one might refer to as a bastard." 

Typically this is where a smart remark would be applied, but Neji was too suspicious. "Of which branch?"

"Couldn't begin to guess, I'm afraid. My mother was blinded by a bandit and ended up living in a house of ill repute, though there's far more to it than that."

"Your mother was a whore? No wonder why I don't know you."

This answer should be scathing, but it was accepted in stride. Tatsuo's smile took on a peculiarly dangerous shade while lowering back down to sit on the wide post, his legs hanging over the edge. He leaned forward, elbows situated upon his knees. "Though my father raped my mother, she wasn't a whore. She owned the land which the brothel was built upon for years. When some drunken highwaymen kicked down her door, looted her home and maimed her, they left her for dead and slipped away. The proprietor of the whorehouse arrived to drop off the rent and found her collapsed on the floor, with the whole place practically turned upside down." Tatsuo sat up and crossed his arms, noting idly to himself that Neji appeared actually interested in this story. So he continued.

"She was saved from the blood loss and infection which nearly claimed her life, due to that filthy blade slicing her eyes out. And she began living in a suite of rooms built onto the whorehouse specifically for her, while her close friend the proprietor helped my mother acclimate to life as a blind woman. In return for that kindness, she considerably lowered the monthly fee for staying on her land. Some say she was being too nice to those prostitutes...mother was something of a bleeding heart, of course."

"How exactly does this tie in to your heritage?" Neji asked pointedly.

Tatsuo lifted a shoulder. "As I understand it, a group of drunken shinobi burst into the brothel late one night. They were _so_ inebriated, and unwilling to cooperate with the proprietor's requests, that they did as they pleased with any man or woman that night...including my mother, who stepped out of privacy to check on what all the fuss was about. I mean, this is my _mother_ I'm talking about; I've been told she was so beautiful that she could've been a geisha herself. I never met her though. She died during childbirth, and I was raised by an entire whore house."

Neji didn't want to believe that _anybody_ from his clan would partake in such debauchery. But he also knew better than to believe that this man had nothing more to do with his time than weave sad stories to dupe others with. Part of the phrasing piqued his curiosity. "So you don't know what she looks like?" Perhaps if Tatsuo's father lived in Konoha, he could remember the woman. It had the potential offer some leverage to use over this man at a later date, if he cared enough to meet his old man. 

"Oh, sure I do. But I have no personal opinion on my mother's looks." He extracted a creased picture torn on one side, and held it up. "You can see, if you wish. I won't bite." Tatsuo extended an arm in his direction, and Neji approached, accepting the photograph. The woman in the snapshot smiled brilliantly up at him, with an arm slung around somebody who wasn't quite in the picture. Her other hand clutched a clear water bag with a fat goldfish in it, at chest level so the photographer could see the plump little creature. 

She was _uncommonly_ beautiful. Raven black hair, fair complexion, eyes so blue they hinted at violet...he examined her wide smile a second time, and then flipped it over and read the back. The spot where the date was written in tiny lettering was worn illegible, but the remainder of it...

_'Gyaku Atsuko  
Kusagakure Summer Festival'_

"You said you don't know your father. And your mother..."

"Of the Gyaku Clan, yes. That was the only undisputable aspect of my lineage. I'm told it was chaotic that night, and nobody saw who took my mother. When I first opened my eyes it came as a shock to everybody around me, and the other half of my bloodline became apparent. I was born with the Byakugan, as you see. And yes, I've learned how to wield it." He hesitated a moment, but decided there was no sense in holding back now. "Honestly, as a bastard son, I've no right to use my father's surname. But I also couldn't use my mother's surname without worse repercussions."

Neji handed the photo back, though everything about his posture screamed that he disapproved. "Yes. I understand that now. Pretending you're a Hyuuga opens more doors." 

"There's no need to be snide, Neji." Tatsuo answered calmly. "Both names afford me many benefits. To most, I appear as a Hyuuga. But when it suits me, I use the name Gyaku. If I presented myself as Gyaku Tatsuo, would we be talking or fighting right now?"

By now, Kakashi heard enough. He chose to step out of hiding, ambling across the field towards them. "He has a point, Neji."

"..."

Kakashi turned towards Tatsuo. "So, tell me. Why are you really here?"

Tatsuo's mouth curved into a smile, this one quite as dangerous seeming as the first. "I am here representing my organization's interests. We hear you've got an Akatsuki problem. I suppose it would be fitting to say that our enemies are one in the same, meaning some of our goals could be easily aligned. Don't you think it would be best to work together in these troubled times, rather than _against_ one another?"

The Copy Ninja ignored Neji's obvious tension at his side, and his visible eye narrowed.  
"And which organization is that, now? There's so many fringe groups popping up, it's hard to keep track."

"We go by many names. But you can call us 'Eidolon'."

 

 

_Back in the Hidden Grass..._

 

After several minutes of running flat-out, they stopped abruptly. The chakra signature vanished. It didn't lessen, it didn't increase; but simply stopped existing far as they could tell. Both men glanced around suspiciously, but saw nothing. This was a ways out from the city, and there were no buildings out here that could be seen. There also wasn't a single soul out here for perhaps a half mile.

Then the situation turned hostile.

Sasori's eyes widened when a spectral blade buried in his gut from an unexpected angle, puncturing a lung and going straight through his back, narrowly grazing his spine between two ribs. The force of the strike was so great that his back bowed on impact and he no longer felt the ground underfoot. It took him a second, in his shock, to realize that it was because nearly three of black chakrasteel was running through him inch by inch, boosting his body into the air. Next thing both men knew, Sasori was flung wide off that blade and now lay dazed on the ground about five yards off, amidst a glossy path of blood smeared upon browning grass. Sasori had no warning and no recourse in that instance. If there had been even a waver, a flicker, _something_ to tip either of them off, both would've been on the defensive instantly.

Deidara tensed and turned, a hand stuffed into the unzipped bag at his side. He flung out a group of clay birds to fend off their assailant, but nothing made contact. You careened out of the way before they got anywhere near close enough, and were once again invisible. When they failed to meet their intended target, the birds ruptured into three dazzling explosions, miraculously not setting the high grass on fire. Dei turned on the spot, surveying the immediate area before advancing towards his momentarily incapacitated partner. Selfishness and pride aside, they had to stick together for this one.

"SASORI!" Deidara yelled, grasping up a handful of clay in one hand and in the other, a kunai. While moving towards Sasori to protect him, he scattered swarms of white insects into the air to surround both of them, hoping it would be enough of a measure to give you pause, until they could figure a way to fight you on their own terms. You were now behind a tree within the fringe of the forest, watching them. 

"Unhh.." Sasori grunted, and sat up with a hand upon the ground behind him and his other hand upon the wound in his belly. He'd been stunned by that attack, but it wasn't enough to put _him_ completely out of commission. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, he got to his feet and reached for a puppet scroll hidden in its typical place, but when he attempted to summon it...nothing happened.

Frowning, Sasori unrolled the paper and a growl nearly tore from his throat. There was the of the telltale sign for 'Three', the Kazekage. But then, a bit past that was written: 'DUMMY!.

"That bitch and her sticky fingers, un." Deidara remarked almost gravely, though he was having a hard time not laughing at the other's misfortune. So much for his everlasting 'art'. Sasori coughed and spat out another mouthful of blood, and his voice rasped a bit when speaking. "She could've killed me in that moment, but instead she chose to mock me by stealing the Kazekage and replacing him with _this_ ridiculous thing."

"And here I thought we were adults, un!" He laughed. "In all seriousness though, this isn't like her, hn." Deidara's hands were now both chewing up more clay. And he was wisely keeping his head on the swivel, looking every which way just in case.

"Oh, it's _exactly_ like her. She specializes in keeping the opponent off balance, remember?" Sasori snapped, now reaching for another scroll after throwing the first dud away, letting it drop in the grass. He examined this new scroll, then smirked unpleasantly. Perfect. This one's the real thing.

Having listened to their conversation, you solidified and walked out into sight. Maybe they deserved more 'professional' courtesy than this, but it's also two versus one. "Did you drop this?" You called over, waving the scroll at them. Then you pocketed it. 

"Cut the crap, hn!!" Deidara shouted back. You smirked, drawing closer while being mindful of Deidara's bug bombs hidden in the thigh-high grass. Reaching forward with your red-coated katana, you moved some grass aside, eyes flickering back and forth before rising to lock onto the men across the way. "Oh come now. I could've butchered you both a hundred ways already, and this is how you show your appreciation? Can't you even say 'hello'?"

"You're hardly one to talk." Sasori grunted. He nearly coughed again and suppressed a grimace against his sleeve. Blood was filling that lung, it was going to become increasingly difficult to breathe as the fight progresses. Especially if he had to exert himself. Thankfully, being a puppet master, he could remain mostly stationary. _And_ he wasn't alone. If they worked together rather than arguing as usual, he could handle this injury with relative ease. 

"Perhaps so. But the niceties ought to be observed, yes? We may be former comrades, but we've come _such_ a long way from being at one another's throats." As you spoke, your disposition darkened considerably. "And there goes that beautiful progress, circling the drain again. These things have a habit of coming full circle." You weren't fond of carrying out a protracted dialogue during a fight. But the point of this whole thing was to buy as much time as possible, contributing what extra energy you could to his recovery. 

Also, you had to and prevent them from _noticing_ Itachi, whom was roughly thirty yards away and underground from where you currently stood. He was too weak to defend himself in his current state, and you were sure that they must have orders to capture or kill both of you. If this was Kakuzu standing on the other end of the field, then you'd have to worry more about Itachi being killed, taken and exchanged for a mountain of money. He would ask Hidan to keep you busy and then go on a search. But Deidara and Sasori aren't the same as them, not by a long shot. They could be stalled easier, in a sense.

"Let's relive the Anarchy days, shall we Sasori, my dearest doll?"

 _That_ hit a nerve.

 _"Never."_ And he summoned his puppet, a gush of smoke emitting out along with it and veiling both men in its opaque embrace. You disappeared from sight as well and watched from a new position in the shadows, waiting to see which puppet he chose. There was a sense of urgency; you didn't want this to waste on for too long, especially if they somehow notified the others. But screaming and charging in half-cocked is Naruto's deal, not yours. 

Abruptly, a giant draconic clay beast blasted upwards into the sky, carrying Deidara upon its back. The resulting backlash of wind gushed the stagnant fog away, and right as Sasori and his puppet were about to be revealed, an intense stream of fire swept out clockwise, moving at a fast clip before turning and going counterclockwise, setting the tall grass alight. At the center stood Sasori, his hands extended with chakra strings attached to what seemed to be his twin, except shirtless. You immediately dropped the unseen smirk in favor of indifference, jumping up and out of the way. Down below was what was becoming a sea of fire, extending out further by the minute in all directions. Already it washed up around the bases of the nearest trees, and was beginning to claw its way up tree trunks and ivy.

"KATSU!!!!" 

Explosions rang out from everywhere at once, and Sasori down below had his puppet cast a chakra shield to protect him from the deafening, blinding blossoms of energy. You felt concussive waves of power shoulder through your translucent being, and you managed to keep it from flinging you back into the solid state for only so long. Once the worst of it passed and you could see up above and down below, you had to make a snap second decision. These men wouldn't be foolish enough to let you die. And that suited you fine; for now, you needed to stay alive. The jutsu being used to revitalize Itachi's energy was chained your _physical_ being. While you could retain the connection to it in this 'living ghost' form (or Yurei, roughly meaning 'faint spirit'), you couldn't do so in a death manifestation, or Onryo (vengeful spirit). 

Deidara circled above, undoubtedly crafting another salvo of clay creatures to seek out and destroy his target. From below, Sasori had to stay in his shield or be overrun by fire. Legions of smoke streamed into the air, and combined with heat waves was nearly blinding. This was a decent tactic. You couldn't land, not without being made to turn solid and either roasting alive or passing out from smoke inhalation. And that's not factoring Sasori in. If you went _up_ , Deidara was there to contend with. So why do either?

You flew up to the crown of the tallest nearby tree and landed there, solidifying and then sheathing your katana. Deidara spied you and, with a grin, flung a clay centipede your way. You vanished into thin air at the last second and instead the lengthy insect wrapped its bulk around the tree, exploding into a chain of blasts that caused the top third of the tree to burst into a hail of splinters. While he was distracted, you were again solid and falling in a uncontrolled vertical nosebleed dive from almost 230 yards up. There wasn't room for errors now. You had no idea if this would even _work_ , and there was no choice but to try. 

Your hands met together and you began making handseals as fast as you could. _Dragon, ram, boar..._

Down below, the smog was disturbed. You barely caught sight of what caused it: a glitter of poison-coated steel, shaped into wing-like spokes upon Sasori-puppet's back. They were outstretched and began spinning like sawblades as it ascended closer. It was already down to the last possible second. Either cast this jutsu, or you'll be carved up like a spiral ham. 

Then, true to form, Sasori commanded his twin puppet to unhinge his jaw and a rain of senbon shot up towards you, and it seemed as if there were hundreds of them at once.

 _...dog, ox, ram!_ "SUITON! RED TIDE!!" And you inhaled as hard as you could before hitting the smoke, then unleashed a geyser of red water. The jutsu was of such an intensity that it not only knocked the senbon out of the sky before they touched you, but it also pummeled the puppet out of the air and down to the ground. A nearly deafening hiss of steam emanated from below as the deluge continued unabated, dousing the inferno below in its entirety. The water crashed against tree trunks, causing waves to break. That flood reached all but the highest parts of the conflagration, which flickered in the resulting gush of steam and clung to life on a few of the higher branches. 

Up above, Deidara stared. _'What the fuck? I thought for sure she couldn't use elemental jutsu anymore!'_ He couldn't see Sasori or his puppet. The steam reduced visibility down to nearly zero on the ground. 

You landed atop the water , relieved and a bit astonished that it worked. And not only that, but with such _power_. Sure, now you had to call out name of the jutsu...but that's what caused it to activate in the first place, and amplified the power also. Before, you didn't have to with the glyphs acting similar to pilot lights, but now, you had to kickstart everything on your own. 

It wasn't hard to find Sasori's puppet, but it's owner was absent from view. The puppet was sinking nearby, and you made sure to keep an eye on that. Sasori's bubble-shield was gone since the puppet had to cast that over him in the first place, so it's likely that he sustained further damage. That jutsu was no joke.

Then you got your answer. Sasori approached from behind, and he distracted you with a second puppet that strongly resembled a cobbled-together Hiruko, which is perhaps how he survived that pounding from moments ago. The metal scorpion tail arced out and struck for your throat, but you evaded and blocked the next strike with your katana and wakizashi crossed. You shoved the pointed tail away and flipped backwards, barely touched down then sprang towards Sasori's first puppet. But Deidara intervened, swooping down and catching it with his earthen dragon's talons while tossing another clay bird your way. He zoomed up and out of harm's way with the limp shell while you avoided another explosion. _'I'm going to have to clip his wings, but then, he'll always make more.'_ You thought. _'Whatever it takes to keep him gnawing on that stupid clay of his. Can't be long now.'_

 _'She seems more interested in fighting me than Deidara.'_ Sasori was amused, and raised a hand to the sky in Dei's direction. On cue, the dragon let his motionless captor fall. Sasori caught the puppet with chakra strings, and swung it around to attack you from behind while his Hiruko puppet began a frontal assault. You frolicked mockingly out of their way, and the two would've clashed together if it weren't for Sasori's reflexes grinding them to a halt at the last millisecond. The puppets stopped rigid, nose-to-nose. Sasori swallowed a mouthful of blood while twisting his humanoid weapons around, and sent them charging in your direction with a couple elegant gestures. _'Saiya's not thinking this through, and Itachi isn't around anymore to back her up. Excellent news for us. Her judgment seems clouded.'_

Speaking of clouded, the steam was dissipated. Only a small amount of haze lingered, and the muddled water was sluggishly draining out of the area wherever it found a point of egress from the sloped pocket it was trapped within, but wasn't pouring out fast enough to make much of a difference. Deidara continued to send a broad volley of clay animals in your direction while Sasori kept firing off poison senbon and chasing you. He would often flank you with both puppets, their pointy bits showing and ready to shear you into sections. The barrage was unending. You've done well so far, considering you weren't in ghost form. But Sasori began to notice something strange. Deidara has superb aim, and you may be small, fast and agile, but something was off. Then, upon further examination, he realized that you weren't actually dodging any of the explosives. Deidara was missing his mark _completely_.

"Stop playing around, Deidara!" Sasori barked up at his comrade, who had a hand buried deep into a clay bag per usual. But he received no retort. Dei was having a hard time concentrating. At first he thought it was the haze, but his sight was so blurry he couldn't precision target anymore. He thought to remedy this by blanketing the area with explosions, but even _that_ wasn't working now. Deidara was getting woozy, and chakra wouldn't concentrate and mold into his sculptures the way he intended. The world was beginning to tilt to the left, then to the right, back to the left again....tipping, tipping...

Seemingly without explanation to Sasori's eyes, Deidara dropped sideways off his dragon and plummeted to Earth. The dragon, now uncontrolled, plowed forward and exploded into a tremendous array of gold, orange, red, and pink on the horizon. A series of ripples shivered across the water's surface in response.

Sasori kept you busy with Hiruko, and while doing so used his body double poppet to promptly pluck the blond from the water where he thrashed too weakly to stay afloat for long. When the puppet drew level with Sasori (continuing to hold Deidara bridal-style), the redhead looked sidelong at his drenched partner. His single azure eye was heavily bloodshot, his breathing was shallow, and his color was off. "You've been poisoned, though she never touched you." Sasori said, diagnosing the condition with a mere glance. 

"N...no. I don't have a scratch on me, un."

As he watched you nimbly flip, bounce, dodge, block and skip around Hiruko's attacks with purely inherent grace, Sasori's mind whirred in confusion. If Deidara hadn't been hit, (and so far it appeared as though he was unscathed), then what was causing this?  
Seeing you beginning to get too close, he twitched a finger and Hiruko leveled a series of kunai with rope at each of your limbs, and expelled a surfeit of poisonous gas, in hopes that he'd be able to catch you with them while visibility was nil. 

Staring at the cloud, it dawned on him. "Your clay. She must have poisoned your clay during the initial attack."

"WHAT?!" Deidara straightened up in the puppet's arms, but immediately felt nauseous, a mouthed hand clamping over the lower half of his face. 

"Can you stand on your own, or has she robbed you of that ability as well as your dignity?" Sasori queried icily, and gave a small cough which tasted of crimson. Damn, he wasn't sure how much longer he could handle this. Breathing hurt like a son-of-a-bitch, now. "I'm going to need my puppet back."

"Yeah. I'll be fine, un." He felt like he was ready to puke, but when the puppet set him down and took off in your direction, he crashed immediately through the water. "AAH! What the hell, HN!!" Dei attempted to clamber to his feet, but his chakra wouldn't obey long enough for him to stand on water. "Or was it the plants that were burnt, I caught a strong whiff of that smoke, hnn...nn...ulp." 

"Don't vomit near me, you cretin!" Sasori snapped, and almost growled in agitation when you shaved an inch of shell off Hiruko's back with your katana. Marring the facade of his priceless art is a capital offense, usually punishable by death. You've stolen one of his greatest puppets, and had been taking shots at the others, often succeeding in slashing into them. This isn't something he was going to _allow_ you to get away with.

Deidara managed to get himself to a fallen log, and sat down, barely three inches above the water. "If you ask me, she's waiting for s..somet..thing...HRRK!" He turned away and was lavishly ill in the water on the opposite side of the log. Sasori crinkled his nose in disgust and stayed on task. "No. That isn't from some burnt poisonous herbs." He continued maneuvering both puppets, now using his twin to fire off a water cannon, ratcheting up the pressure by turning his wrists so the stream narrowed. The jutsu sawed effortlessly through any tree it crossed, and carved paths in the broad hillside. _'We've severely underestimated her.'_ Sasori thought tersely to himself, but wouldn't dare say that aloud. _'Everyone anticipated that she'd be helpless as a child when her hands were left severed at the wrist. Instead, the opposite is true. She seems more powerful than ever, but how can that be so?'_

You were continuing to waste their time, but this was beginning to test your patience. And Itachi was sapping _a lot_ of your energy, certainly more than you bargained for. But it was still manageable, and you had to keep going. Both foes were debilitated in some way. Deidara was rendered helpless for the moment, but it wouldn't last forever. And Sasori wasn't bad off enough to prove beneficial until his condition worsened considerably. You were currently leaping up and over the water cannon stream, then doubling back when he chased you with it. You lead him back around onto the water they were both touching, keeping your angle of approach such that either man was prevented from seeing your hands, which were rhythmically folding into seals. A wall of water rose up wherever the cutting stream passed over its surface, continuing to chase you around in loops. Not much time left, the scroll on that puppet's back would run out of juice soon.

You turned your approach abruptly towards the puppet itself and ducked beneath the murderously powerful stream, keeping your body low. You could feel it passing inches above the top of your head. 

Horse, snake, dog, rat, ram. "Raiton; Dying Light!" A preemptive crackle of purplish lightning hummed around your arms. That was just the thing they needed to see. If the color hadn't already drained out of Deidara's face, it would now: they were both soaked to the bone, and also surrounded by water. He mustered strength into poison-stricken limbs to shove his body onto dry land. Yards away, Sasori barely severed the power to his own water jutsu and leapt up out of the way, barely avoiding what came next. While one puppet could jump very high into the air, Hiruko wasn't so good at such things, and remained where it was.

The water illuminated from within and sizzled with electricity _right_ as you catapulted yourself out of the way, almost not escaping yourself. You nearly cursed. Both Sasori and Deidara got to safety. If it worked out the way you planned, this fight would be over in seconds. Of course, you ran the risk of getting yourself killed in the process, but nothing ventured nothing gained. And it's not as though you'd be permanently dead anyhow, making a more dangerous style of fighting plausible. You could do things that would be seen as perilous, knowing that you wouldn't have much to worry about. That you could only _gain_ from your own demise.

As the jutsu ran its course, the water flickered and flashed. Tendrils of lightning snapped, popped and hissed upon its surface. Pulses of light from below were so intense that it made the immediate area feel dark by comparison. Not unlike staring at the sun, a bright spot would be branded into one's vision if one watched for too long. It raged below for about as long as both yourself and Sasori were airborne.

When midair during that, you switched back into Yurei mode, vanished again, and shot towards Sasori where he fell from the apex of his leap. He wasn't about to make a five-point landing. 

As he dropped, he glanced around to see if he could find you. Down below, around, behind? All he could see was his puppet in tow, tethered by chakra strings (Hiruko was down below, a bit crispy around the edges but still functional). Then a white-hot pain seared through him when you buried your wakizashi into one of his shoulders, and slammed a knee into the exit-wound on his back, bracing yourself for the second strike. He didn't have a chance to react when your katana raised up into the air above his head and came whistling down, penetrating through his other shoulder. The chakra strings snapped loose, and while Hiruko sunk below water, the Sasori Doppelganger went hurtling to Earth. Sasori plummeted faster with the addition of your weight, and it seemed as though the reddish water below was a wall screaming up to meet him. He slammed into it at what felt like a thousand miles per hour, and a millisecond before impact you shifted your weight hard into his wounds and pushed off; evaporating into thin air, blades and all.  
On the swell of a nearby hill, a very addled Deidara was attempting to process what he witnessed. But his thoughts were so muddled he couldn't see straight. That little 'exchange' was over in a _second_ ; a blur, a flash...certainly, not long enough for him to grasp the turn of events when his brains were alphabet soup from the poison. The only part he came to understand is that however it happened, Sasori was soundly trounced.

"Sashori...sh..Shashori, my man...don't take it pershonally but...why are you being sho lame right now....hm?" He slurred, his saliva thick in his mouth and his throat a hair swollen. When you solidified and walked towards Deidara, a dispersing ribbon of blood rising beneath the water's surface barely caught your eye. Then bubbles, and a distorted shape.

You somersaulted backwards in time to avoid Sasori's attack, which arrived in the form of his Twin bursting up out of the water with the puppeteer wrapped in its arms. The puppet's back was facing you, and his wing-blades whirred at top speed, prepared to slash anyone or anything they made contact with. When the puppet stopped and turned in front of Deidara, you realized that Sasori was still able to move his fingers, and managed to use his considerable skill with puppetry to save himself from drowning. With his shoulders punctured as badly as they were, he couldn't swim. And nor could he operate both puppets at once, now. He needed all ten of his fingers to make this one execute _any_ command.

Strenuously twitching his fingers and wrists, Sasori had his puppet extract a syringe, and walked it over to Deidara, where it stabbed the needle unceremoniously into the blond's neck and pushed the plunger down. "H-hey!" Deidara protested, but Sasori was in no mood. "Shut the fuck up Deidara. We've got work to do. And I've waited long enough to finish this."

"So," You began tonelessly. "You _have_ developed a serum. A little amusing that you didn't decide to use that on him sooner, you might've been in less trouble now if you had."

"Anyone who uses poison knows to carry an antidote with them always." Sasori answered, eyes narrowing. "Thankfully, mine is able to counterbalance yours." He was lying through his teeth, but for all you knew, he was being honest. Sasori had plenty of opportunities to pilfer a vial from your room before the old Akatsuki lair was destroyed. But you used such a broad range of toxins, it was a shot in the dark at best. What he used took enough of the edge off to keep him fighting and prevented the poison from obliterating his chakra control. But the other symptoms were there. He was extremely nauseous, dizzier than hell, and had to keep blinking to clear his vision and prevent from seeing double; added to that, plenty of muscle weakness to go around. With additional swelling in his throat it was hard to breathe, too. Already Sasori had difficulties breathing as it is, with that injury straight through one lung. The poison put that over the top, making it a feat of sheer willpower to take in fresh air. 

Deidara dry heaved into the damp grass and sluggishly arose, wiping muddy palms on his cloak. "Don't push it, Deidara. Let the antidote take effect."

"Hn." Dei didn't seem happy. But he wasn't ungrateful for the help, either. For one thing, he wasn't so confident he could use his clay now. It was laced with poison, and he didn't know which bags were tainted and which were not, if indeed you only got one of them during that initial strike. Here they find themselves facing an opponent who employs a devastating array of abilities, and also knows how to properly use poison to great effect. You're Nagato Pein's student, alright. In that alone, you both are very similar. Except _you_ don't need a handful of corpses to get the job done.

While the clouds in Deidara's head cleared, he looked at Sasori's turned back. Why did he help? Dei had to stop and wonder if this was purely out of self interest, which is likely, but without his clay he wasn't going to be terribly useful. And Sasori's bluff about the antidote was rapidly disproven. It had set so heavily into Deidara, that the antidote wasn't helping him do much except stay on his feet, and reduce the swelling in his throat by enough for him not to slur his speech. You heartlessly watched him waver and wobble, a hand slipping behind his back to grab out a kunai. In his condition Dei couldn't function as anything more than a distraction, and a poor one at that. 

Your empty gaze returned to Sasori and his puppet. Neither moved. He was waiting for you to bring the fight to him. His wounded arms and lung made a sound offense untenable, meaning he had to try and turn anything you threw at him in his favor.  
So, again...why let them?

You surged towards them, a blatantly forward assault. But as Sasori's puppet turned to counter you, you banked sharp to the left, causing a fan of water to spray over the puppet and its master, plus Deidara. You hooked around a tree nearby them, running from a new angle, only to change direction once again before impact against the puppet. More water splashed up against them. You did this twice more, approaching differently each time. Didn't take long before they were soaked through and through.

 _'What the hell is she up to?'_ Sasori thought.  
_'She's going to a lot of trouble to unbalance us.'_ Deidara thought, watching with his bloodshot eye, kunai up and at the ready. But when the last wave of water collapsed around them, they saw you standing a ways away from them, your hands in the sign of the ram. Deidara grimaced and prepared to jump out of the way again. Was it another lightning jutsu?

No. You wanted them to think that from earlier, but this wasn't the same. And you wished to see the color drain out of their faces when they realized what was about to happen.

"Hyoton; Iron Frost!"

 

The reaction was slower than lightning, naturally. They moved to get the hell out of the way, but the air around them had plunged immediately down to the mark where the water down below began to freeze at the first top few inches, spreading out around you. Both men and the puppet had to flee before the current of cold touched them, but it was too late. The water soaking their clothes and skin solidified, and they were stopped dead in their tracks. When you approached them, you stood right in front of both, frozen mid-stride. You studied them almost leisurely. Strange to think that they could escape lightning, the quickest element of them all. Though they got the hell out of the way the moment you said, 'Raiton', and that jutsu had been joined with water to double its effect. This one however, an ice jutsu, influenced everything in a sphere around you. It traveled primarily through the air rather than behaving as lightning does, which will always try to find its way back to Earth. "I'm not sure how well you can hear me right now, but this had to end sooner or later." Noting that the layer of ice was only enough to temporarily paralyze them rather than freeze them solid, you began a new set of hand seals. "I didn't want to use this tactic anytime soon. For you fine gentlemen, I'll make an exception." You continued making handseals. "See, this jutsu makes for an excruciatingly slow death. You've got poison in your veins, and an antidote not fashioned to stop it. Furthermore, you are about to be encased in a second layer of ice that, for all I know, could turn you guys into solid ice cubes...atop a small freezing pond, which will prevent you from melting anytime soon. Unless, of course, somebody breaks you out." You grinned, dropping the poker face. It felt _damned_ good to do this, as if you were indulging in a wretchedly enjoyable addiction you were attempting to break. 

"And I guarantee you both, if that happens...it'll be _agony_ without rival. But if they don't? You'll freeze, if the poison doesn't get you first." They couldn't see, their eyes were shut a second before the rigid frost crept over their faces, a last moment reflex. Each of them could hear you, but both were too weakened to do anything but attempt to work themselves free, trying to twist and move in place to shake the ice off. And they heard your voice as you took great pleasure in saying the next words, much as though they were a death sentence. Speaking in a frigid voice that was intended to convey _exactly_ how fatal this technique could be, you declared it's name.

"Hyoton..... _Absolute Zero_." 

This reaction was sped up by the first one, since the stage was set. The artificial pond created by the fight earlier froze completely solid down to the bottom, and the layer of frost over your enemies tripled in thickness, becoming more as ice. Bark and leaves upon nearby trees curled and whitened stiff, and the world went motionless. You pivoted on the spot and averted your gaze towards the east, looking through a rising veil of cold mist to where a gaggle of onlookers and shinobi drawn to the commotion gathered to watch. They didn't dare get involved in a battle of that caliber. Each and every one of them were vastly outclassed by the three S-Class Rogues involved, and now _two_ of them had been taken out by _one_.

Fact is, that _one_ , is the very person they feared would one day return with all her depravity to plague the Hidden Grass once again.

Turning away; you faded out of sight, concealed your energy, and disappeared back into the underground.


	12. Once In A Blue Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are relieved to see that Itachi is doing well after his revival. But certain things need to be said, and while there may be mixed feelings in the wake of your heart-to-heart, you'll both soon have to set those feelings aside for the time being.
> 
> Because you both are being relentlessly hunted by men who seldom rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: It's hot out. And with no air conditioning? Yuck. Say, does anyone else poke around on Gaia Online from time to time? I left my account alone for many years but decided to check it out again, see what's new, if anything. Should anybody feel like chatting, I've been using my account named 'Sakaiden'. But please, just let me know where you're coming from, so to speak. I've been approached by a few too many random creeps who want to cyber, which is completely out of the question for me. I'm hardly a prude, but I don't do that stuff.
> 
> *Notice: I’ve been having computer problems. My desktop pc broke down, and my laptop is temperamental. Not only does it shut off whenever it wants and jump web pages, but the cursor keeps skipping around paragraphs without warning and making it difficult for me to write. So as I’m sure anyone can understand, I’ve not been so much in the mood to write with that little issue. If there are typos that I missed correcting, I do apologize. I didn’t intend for it to take me this long to submit the next chapter.

Once In A Blue Moon 

 

After you vanished into thin air, there was an outbreak of commotion. Groups of ninja bolted across towards the artificial iced pond, with two men frozen in position atop. They had their suspicions as to their identities, but this only confirmed them. 

Medics were sent for, and those who stayed behind set up a perimeter to keep civilians out of their hair. There was an uproar which extracted more and more onlookers from the city, and two teams of medics streamed out along with them. When they arrived, they turned to the man who assumed himself to be in charge of the whole situation.

"We've got our orders."  
"Oh? And what're those?"

The medic walked past him, scrutinizing the first rigid body. 

_"Well?"_

She blinked over her shoulder at the man, and sighed at his blatant impatience. There was no avoiding this anyhow, she had to fill him in or he'd never get out of the way. At least no one was close enough to overhear them, so she lowered her voice an octave to address him. "We're to break them free from the ice, take whatever measure necessary to keep them alive, and keep them imprisoned until the Five Kage Summit. The Council intends to send an envoy ahead to speak with representatives of both Sunagakure and Iwagakure. I suppose the Council intends to use this as an opportunity to open peace talks with both nations, if possible."

"WHAT?" He was outraged. "Why the fuck would they wait so long?! That's asking for trouble!"

The medic captain bowed her head in thought, a hand upon her chin as she studied every facet of ice. "Yes and no. We're in a tough spot for sure. If the situation is mishandled, worse things can and _will_ happen."

"And what's our envoy going to say when they're asked how this happened, anyway? 'Oh, _that_ , Mister Kazekage, sir? Why, our very own missing-nin Gyaku Saiya captured your rogue puppetmaster Sasori, and left him freeze-dried on our doorstep along with one known as Deidara!" He cupped a hand around an ear, leaning closer to an imaginary host, as if unable to hear properly. "What's that, sir? No, no we didn't capture her. She vanished into thin air, like a ghost or something. Ahhh...yes, that's correct, sir. We lost track of a whole person. But we have _your_ guy."

The woman pinned him with a flat stare for his snark. "And you have the nerve to wonder _why_ you aren't ascending in the world. Start showing some respect, and perhaps that'll change." She admonished sharply. "Now, here's your orders." She handed him a scroll. "Your squad is crowd control. Now kindly stay on task, and we will be finished in short order here." She turned away from him dismissively and went to work, along with the five other medics. 

Blood boiling, the never-was 'man in charge' stomped off to do his job.

 

_With You..._

 

Took mere moments to get back 'home', where your clones sat half-lotus about various points in the room, conducting the jutsu. Itachi hadn't moved from where he lay, and the drain on your energy reserves intensified twofold simply by lingering within close proximity. This also meant he would heal quicker, ideally.

So, you sat down on the makeshift large bed in the corner, leaned your back to the wall, and began meditating to stock more chakra by draining it from the world around you.

 

_Timeskip. The Following Morning..._

 

The jutsu ended hours ago, and the clones dissipated. But you were sapped of strength, and fell asleep during meditation, slumping into the middle of the bed. 

You awoke now to the sound of running water and the scent of soap. Opening your eyes from where you lay tucked into the fetal position, all you saw was a tan mass covering your vision, and you began vigorously disentangling yourself from your pile of blankets, the cots underneath uttering a series of squeaks and bouncing in protest. While in the middle of this the water was turned off; and you continued scrabbling incongruously and cussing sleepily until the coverings gave way and you emerged, poking your head up into half-lit gloom. You extracted an arm from beneath the tangled heap of blankets and rubbed your left eye, the right one slightly open. It was then that you spied a shape moving in partial darkness across the room, down by where the cramped bathroom space was. He closed the narrow shower door with a muted 'clunk', and mussed his hair with a towel a second time after pulling pants on. Then he discarded this towel and ran his fingers through ebon locks, approaching at a leisurely pace. You lowered your hand, tilted your head, and watched him as he drew closer, stepping through a pool of flickering, weakening light cast by one of the lanterns. His face remained overshadowed, and you weren't entirely certain that he could see your expression, either. 

But when he put a knee up on the bed and a hand on your shoulder, pushing you onto your back and now settled on all fours over you, your mind went blank. When your lips brushed and made contact, his warm breath dusted your skin, and cool, damp hair feathered your shoulders. You lay almost rigid beneath him, and now wide awake. A couple droplets of water dripped from his damp skin, and you felt them patter your shirt. When he tilted his head and kissed you, gentle but firm, you placed a hand over his heart and felt it throbbing strong within his exquisitely toned chest. 

You had to make sure that you weren't dreaming in that stone hollow in Konoha. Had to be certain that you weren't really shivering, alone, and suspicious of every shadow; duped into a sense of security in the realm of dreams. 

But now you knew.  
He's real.  
He's _alive._

Upon breaking the prolonged kiss, you looked up at his outline, barely noticing that the lantern behind him was nearly dead. The last two were fading as well, but they were on opposite sides of the room from here. You wished you could look upon his face, although you didn't want to use special abilities to cheat only so you could see. Your jaw unclenched, and words issued out in a whisper. "I wish I could've told you before you died."

"Then tell me now." His answer was almost coy. As if he had a clue what you planned to say. At this, you contemplatively twined a lock of his moist hair around a finger. It was beginning to dry, and the pocket of air in the gap between your bodies was turning lukewarm.

"I love you, Itachi." Twas' hard to imagine a way to say these simple words before. Then he confessed in the note, and you admitted your love for him to his hateful brother's face without meaning to. After that, it got easier. This moment felt more right than anything. If only you knew the honest and...quite strangely, _romantic_ truth about the Uchiha Clan. They love with their whole beings...they value love more than _anything_ , but with an accursed twist.

"And I love you." Perhaps it's lame, but you didn't need to look into his eyes to detect his sincerity. His voice was lowered; more gentle and genuine, conveying the sentiment perfectly. You wrapped your arms around his shoulders in a tight embrace, pulling his chest flush with yours. Neither of you were huggers, but that could change.

Hey. You may both be responsible for a string of atrocities apiece, but once in a blue moon, it's okay for hardened shinobi to soften up.

Okay. Maybe more often than that, now.

 

_Last Night, In Konoha..._

 

Little by little, more had arrived to the training yard while Neji, Kakashi and Tatsuo spoke. Neji needed more convincing to be swayed, but Kakashi saw merit in Tatsuo's reasoning. He was right. They _do_ have an Akatsuki problem. All measures they have taken fell short. Given their current situation, there wasn't much more they could do now; apart from reacting to any imminent threats, which presently encompassed more than the Akatsuki. But they were the engine that spun the gears of war, and where they currently ensconced themselves in Amegakure; Akatsuki became untouchable without declaring open war between both nations.

"I hate to say it, but he's right." Tenten admitted, making Neji's head swing up in her direction, as if he'd been slapped. He barely noticed her presence while in a fog of thought. Tenten, Sakura and Naruto had arrived after their meal was finished and paid for, and were standing here long enough to know the situation.

"I dunno, sounds kind of fishy to me." Naruto voiced suspiciously.

Tatsuo watched them convene with one eyebrow inclined, saw them tighten into a knot of conversation and begin whispering to one another. He cleared his throat to capture their attention, and when they looked over at him, he smiled warmly. "I've a suggestion, if I may."

"Yeah? And what's that, wise guy?" Naruto asked gruffly.

"I should like to take this issue up with the Hokage personally." Before they broke into an explosion of protests, he held his hands up defensively. "I wouldn't object to being restrained, searched, and relieved of my personal effects. But I'd like to speak with her all the same, under whichever conditions are deemed acceptable."

Silence. They eyed him disbelievingly, as though attempting to determine if he was for real or not. Tatsuo figured as much.

"I agree that it's wise you don't trust me, a stranger. Nor can I trust any of you. On the subject of that, I realize that every last one of you will do what requires to be done to protect your nation. Except now, that could include hearing me out and helping set up an audience with your Hokage; much as none of you like to think that." He studied them with serene, moonlike orbs, unconcerned with their immediate tension at his words. "My sole objective here is to speak with her regarding either a truce or potential alliance. I do not negotiate with fists or foul language. Those aren't required to achieve my goal here. Therefore, _of course_ I'd be willing to be disarmed. I shall do whatever I must in order for things to progress in a productive manner." Calm assurance resonated in his voice, like a current of power disturbing a previously tranquil pond. Konoha was the pond, and he was aiming to make waves.  
They exchanged uneasy glances. His suggestion was controversial to say the least, except he made sense. _Too_ much sense. 

"So, why don't I find a place to stay in town tonight...you can even post guards outside my door, if it puts everyone at ease. And I will wait to hear if the Hokage is willing to speak with me."

"And if she's not?" Neji inquired pointedly.

Tatsuo smiled again. "Ohhh, let's just say...that's not a concern of _mine_."

 

_Current Time, Kusagakure..._

 

When the last lantern flickered sullen light in a lonely corner, you arose and popped new batteries into the others first, finishing with replacing the dying lantern's battery cells as well. Itachi realized he was getting cold and finished dressing, and you broke out some food for both of you to eat. Itachi turned out to be famished from his revival. He wolfed down a heaping handful of hardtack biscuits, two fresh apples you grabbed from the market, several big strips of dried meat and was now gulping down the contents of a hefty water bottle. You were attempting not to laugh at his zeal. Presently you sat beside a camp stove on a stretch of bare stone floor, boiling water for ramen noodle cups. "I can't believe I'm eating this nasty stuff." You muttered, and Itachi would've chuckled if it weren't for his mouth being full. You decided that if there was enough water left, some tea would be made as well, to help remove the taste of fake ramen. Something hot to drink would be awesome right now, and much as you hated the faux noodles, that's what you had which could be heated up right now. Tis' colder than a witch's tit down here, and it's already late autumn. You weren't sure how well you both could fare below ground in winter. As it was, winter was so close at hand you could feel it. Many of the trees around here were almost completely bald, though some of the more hardy species retained their foliage, like the ones nearby the battle site. But in other regions it didn't feel quite as close to winter.

When both of you finished eating, you went over to where Itachi sat. "I want to do a bit of a check-up now." You informed him. "To make sure everything's in working order, so to speak." 

He agreed and cooperated, patiently sitting up straight, or standing and moving when requested. You were the closest thing to a doctor that he could see about his present condition, which, he was doing agreeably well. The last thing you asked him to do was to use his Sharingan, of which he was easily able. His eyes were full of pure onyx clarity one moment, and a split second later, were possessed of a familiar ruby intensity. 

"How do they feel?" You inquired, staring deep into them. The three tomoe in each eye rotated lazily, almost hypnotically. The pull exerted from them was more potent than usual, as if you were on the cusp of a genjutsu and were about to be tugged in effortlessly. You blinked, and a split second later you were standing atop a sliver-wide crescent sandbar roughly the shape of a tomoe, surrounded for miles around by crimson water. The tide swirled, frothed, curved around and deepened at the center, reinventing itself as a whirlpool, and drained at the world all around. You felt the cross-current snag at your ankles, and were about to lose balance---

\---when the illusion ended, and you were underground, in the safe room, nose to nose with your lover with his gaze wide and unblinking upon yours. Who, evidently, saw fit to use you as a guinea pig. On some level you expected he would do so, it was the easiest way to answer your question.

"Excellent."  
You didn't bat an eye. "No pain?"  
"None yet." Itachi wasn't surprised that you didn't flinch and inch. You often attempted your hand at practicing genjutsu with him, but mostly he used those sessions to sharpen his own mental acuity. You've endured worse, plus, he didn't invest any effort into that little mind trip.

You nodded, sitting back and breaking the spell that kept you staring unblinkingly into those lethal orbs. "How about your chakra?"

"Completely regenerated."  
You gave a short laugh, relieved. "Hah, glad to hear that. I had to fight Deidara and Sasori without Onryo. Together, no less. I expected them to bitch at one another about who goes first, but I didn't give them much choice either."

Itachi retracted his Sharingan and quirked a brow. "You fought them together, deliberately?"

"Well to be fair, I had to. Got the drop on them easily, which was a bit strange considering they're usually sharper than that." You said. "See, I couldn't let one split off from the other and search for you, though I left some clones behind to conduct the Regeneration jutsu. So if one of them took off, it would buy me some time to intervene. But the catch was; I couldn't die this once around, or the jutsu would break and you would've been exposed." He looked prepared to comment, but you stopped him. "And before you ask, _no_ , I don't know what their exact orders were. They didn't talk about that, and I didn't ask. They both know better than to blab." You sat beside him, one shoulder grazing his. Itachi looked at you a bit blankly. "I know better than to ask about their orders. But I do have a question for you."

You knew eventually some kind of talk about Sasuke would arise. You nodded. "Sure, anything."

"I'd like to know what happened up until now, starting with when you awoke that morning."

You considered this a moment, leaned backwards onto the cots, and folded your arms behind your head, fingers laced. This may not be an easy tale to recount, but you would manage. He had a right to know, really. "So, first thing I noticed is that I was alone...but I knew that's what was going to happen. You aren't much of a drinker, so when you suggested having a few I figured something was up. Then I realized that you sought an easy out, so I made it simpler on you and got completely plastered on purpose. To have a few more laughs with you, in case things didn't go well the following day." You flapped a hand, as if shooing a bug. "Maybe you think I'm lame, I don't know. It is what it is."

Itachi said nothing to that. He _didn't_ think it was lame. Itachi opened his mouth, then realized that he had nothing good to say, so he said nothing. He hoped you wouldn't catch on so fast, and was ashamed to realize that he did what so many others did; and didn't give you enough credit. You couldn't see his face from this angle, or his expression might betray him for once. He stayed sitting up while you were laying back. Itachi became quiet as is considered typical for him; but naturally he was listening, because he didn't hear the full story yet.  
"So I looked around in the morning and noticed your glass, which was part full with colored water...and I saw the note, and read it. Straight afterwards, I realized there was a commotion outside and when I pulled back the drapes, the forest was being consumed by black fire. So I thought to myself, 'He could be alive!' and hurried to get changed and grab my things and left, only to run into none other than Yoriwara Kitsuna."

Itachi found his voice. "What was she doing in Yugakure?"

"Looking for us, evidently." You admitted. "Or so it seemed. But the way was barred, too much of the forest was covered by fire. I wouldn't be easily able to pass, and she pointed that out to me and offered to help; for the price of an unnamed favor at an unmentioned time. I caved and accepted her assistance. I was desperate, Itachi. I would have likely died trying to get through Amaterasu. Then I wouldn't be able to do anything for you as a dead ghost in Onryo mode, certainly not after that episode so long ago. I had Nagato and Konan there to save my transparent ass back then."

"True." He assented reluctantly, recalling that day. That was the first he really grasped the fact that he was attracted to you.

"Anyway, Kitsuna used a jutsu called 'Bubblewrap', and contained the blaze. I was able to go through unharmed thanks to that, and reached the fort, which is where Sasuke was kneeling beside your body." This was the part that may not be so easy to recount. Although, you didn't feel choked up inside. "I have a corpse scroll with me, you see. But he was reluctant to let me touch you, even to close your eyes." You slid an arm from under your head and picked up the end of his ponytail, toying with it idly. "I won't claim to know a damned thing of what was going through that boy's head, but he was pissing me off...no, I didn't hurt him, I know you wouldn't want that. But he was in my way, and I had to threaten him to make him let go of my arm so I could put your body in the scroll." 

"He was upset, then?"

You inhaled heavily through your nose, and expelled it slowly, fingers continually twisting his ponytail and taking a moment before answering. Sasuke had been a fricken' nuisance. "Yeah. He was upset, alright. Mostly conflicted, unsure what to feel perhaps. Can I ask what you said or did that rattled him so bad, or is that private?"

"..." Itachi hesitated. It _was_ kind of private in a sense. One action which would have resonated with meaning for his younger brother: a prod in the forehead, same as he always did when they lived at home. When the family still drew breath. "I did something I always did when we were in Konoha." He confessed only partially. You didn't need all the details, and he wasn't sure what to make of the situation with his brother currently. Right now, Itachi had to wait and see what Sasuke would do in response. 

"Ahah, well, whatever that happened to be, it got to him. And he didn't understand why the fight ended how it did. Until I explained that you were sick."

 _Now_ Itachi turned his head to eye you from over his shoulder, and you simultaneously let go of his hair, watching it unravel from the twirl. "What?"

You didn't look at him, only watched his back. "Oh I knew, Itachi. I knew, Kisame knew, and I don't know who else did." Knowing he was looking, you shook your head. " _Please_ don't act so shocked. I'm a medic, and I have enough experience to know when somebody isn't being forthcoming about their condition."

"Why, then?"  
"You're asking why I said nothing sooner?"

He nodded once.

You picked up his ponytail again, twining the very end around an index finger. "Because I thought you would approach me on your own about this one day. When you didn't, I assumed that you had your own reasons, so I bit my tongue. I'd been very close to bringing it up in private, but after learning what I did about your past; the things that you've done and endured, I had a feeling that you didn't want to be cured. So...I told myself, that if the time came where the disease ran its course, I'd resurrect you unless you specifically asked me _not_ to." Meticulously evading eye contact, you slipped your index finger out of the soft loop of hair, watching it spiral loose again. "Though, in the beginning, that was something of a professional courtesy. We were in Akatsuki, and I was sure they'd want you alive."

"And now?" He wasn't apprehensive. He had a feeling that he knew what you were going to say.

" _Now_ , it's not an option. Unless you had a really compelling reason....and I mean, it better be a freaking amazing one, I will bring you back no matter what. Yours was the only death in my entire life that effected me, Itachi. You'd only been gone for a few days and I missed you horribly. I was in denial, and more paranoid than usual. I knew I couldn't stay in Yugakure, that fight between you and Sasuke was too flashy. And turns out, I was right."

Itachi let gravity take him backwards and his ponytail was stolen from your fidgety fingers. He turned onto his side, leaned on an elbow, and gently gripped your chin, lifting your face so your eyes were level with his, and violet connected with black.

He didn't like that you were avoiding his gaze before. Itachi always preferred to maintain eye contact, which is something that anyone who's heard of him avoids like the plague. He wants to know, _every single time_ , that the woman he loves isn't afraid of him. That he can look as far inside your being as he wants, _whenever_ he wants, and know that you trust him enough where you won't cower away. With so many dense layers of shadow and mystery shrouding his existence, Itachi craved transparency in his relationship with you. You're the one person who he can be real with, whom he needn't lie to. "What happened next?" He asked almost softly, a thumb smoothing against your jawline.

"I ran into Kisame." You voiced, not looking away. "We didn't get to talk very long, and he asked about you. I decided he had a right to know, since you both were partners. Then he revealed that he knew you were sick. And Kisame _also_ realized that I was going to bring you back to life." You took his hand from your chin, prying it away carefully. You slowly interlaced your fingers with his, and slipped the interlocked hands between your head and a pillow. "I don't know if Nagato's orders to all of them are identical. Kisame indicated that they were supposed to subdue me at least, but he didn't directly say anything. Then he proceeded to intentionally screw up so I could get away."

It was hard to read his expression. You couldn't tell if Itachi was surprised or not. 

"I was thinking that if Kisame was working with Madara, and now Madara's gone, maybe he'd be interested in joining us instead." You suggested. Itachi reached across and dragged a stray pillow under his head, and his tone came out as completely pacified, now knowing what he did. "He told me once that he really had nowhere to be after Kirigakure. Its possible he would accept."

"So you'd be alright with that? You don't suppose he'd do the double-agent thing again, do you?"

Itachi considered for a moment, then lifted the shoulder he wasn't leaning upon in a brief shrug. "With Kisame, it's difficult to say."

"No joke." You agreed. "Anyway, I took off and put plenty of space between me and Yugakure. Nothing happened between then and reaching my destination here. Though after I resurrected you, I realized two large energies were approaching fast, and as you know, decided to fight Deidara and Sasori."

"And yet, I sense that you didn't kill them."

"Turned them into ice sculptures, anyway." You grinned almost sheepishly. "I can use my elemental jutsu again. Which was admittedly extremely dangerous without prior testing, but I had no choice. I suspect that helped matters some. I just have to fine tune the intensity. Some attacks came out too strong, others too weak. Oh, and we ended up with an audience, so you can be certain that the Kusagakure Ninja Council will do something about those two. They won't leave them standing around to melt like a snow cone in Suna."

"Of course they wouldn't." Itachi assented. "Regardless, Sasori and Deidara won't be able to act until they're thawed, and it's likely they'll be hospitalized for acute hypothermia."

"I poisoned them both at the start of the whole thing, too." You confirmed. "Sasori used an antidote, but it was for his own brand of toxin, not mine. They might share some fences, and his took the edge off their symptoms, but it won't act as a cure. And since that's not enough, I stole Sasori's Kazekage doll and tainted as much of Deidara's clay as I could reach."

He nodded almost approvingly. "Although now Sasori will hunt you down until you return what belongs to him."

"I was thinking of using it as a bargaining chip."

"Ah, indeed? How precisely?"

"Figured I'd know when opportunity knocks."

He almost rolled his eyes, which is something you've never seen him do. "That's a horrible answer."

"OKAY fine, I just wanted to see the look on his face, happy? I stuck a fake scroll in there which looked like his, and wrote 'dummy' on the inside. I wish I got to put an actual teddy bear or something in there...I was a bit low on time, you see..."

"And was his response satisfactory?" He took his hand back from yours and shifted, propping up his elbow and settling his chin upon the heel of his hand.

"Kind of?"

"So it wasn't." He raised an eyebrow.

"Was funnier when I yanked his chain about Anarchy."

"I'm not sure which is worse."

"Oh come on, its wasn't _that_ lame."

"Right."

"But it wasn't!!" 

"Mhm."

You pouted, at a loss, then leaned forward and stole a kiss before hopping up out of bed. Itachi watched. "What're you doing?"

"I'm going up to the courtyard to harvest some plants. Want to come with?"

"Are you referring to the very courtyard in which the air is considered lethal?"

"The one in the same. You don't need to go inside unless you want to. Besides, I can inoculate you if necessary." Now donning your cargo belt and jacket, you affixed your katana and wakizashi to the wide leather belt, and smiled coyly at him. "Don't tell me that you're afraid of a few innocent flowers, Itachi."

"Hardly." He arose, pulling on his own coat and boots. The air here was stagnant and musty, and some fresh air would be nice, but he also disliked being cooped up down here. While Itachi isn't claustrophobic, awakening from death in a box below ground resembled coffinesque conditions too closely for comfort. Though admittedly there was a bit of light from the lanterns; they were old, clunky models which didn't do the greatest job. Already they had eaten through a chunk of the batteries, which were also not as potent as they could be.

You paused to consider the door, knowing that you couldn't take Itachi with you when shifting through solid objects. And he didn't have any tricks for walking through walls unless he burnt a hole through them with Amaterasu. The vault-like door was rusted to begin with, and the deadbolt bars were reluctant to move earlier. If this door could only be broken down, then you'd have to leave for somewhere else. Deidara and Sasori could potentially escape and searching for revenge. There's also the possibility that other Akatsuki would come find them after they fail to check in multiple times.

Itachi drew level with you while you were lost in thought, and looked from you to the door. "I'm guessing you didn't exactly walk in before."

"Huh?" You were jerked out of reverie. "Ah, no. I flew through and locked the door shut. These aren't designed to be easily opened from the outside unless you know how. But if the deadbolts are engaged..." You broke off, watching him casually step closer and examine it. Then, without warning, he opened the whole damn thing with no apparent trouble. There was a wail of metal on metal, but the bulky door shuddered open and granted enough clearance for him to slip right through. You followed and swung it shut. He looked over his shoulder and caught sight of your expression as the door closed and pinched away the last ray of light away completely. Not even a seam was illuminated about the threshold. "You seem relieved." He remarked calmly.

"I am. I was worried that if the door didn't work, we'd have to break you out of here and find somewhere else to stay. And presently, I'm out of options at the moment."

"I'm not." He answered through the blackness, while you closed your eyes for a moment, letting them mutate and change. The whites went black and the iris glowed violet while your eyeballs were partially translucent in your skull. If a person stood close enough and stared point-blank into them, they'd be able to see into your eye sockets. Undoubtedly, _that_ attribute was the most unsettling.  
Your eyelids parted slowly, and you found that you were looking into a set of smoldering red orbs, which always had a peculiar shine of their own in the dark. Though admittedly it made Itachi's eyes adopt a more sinister appearance. He tilted his head, watching interestedly. Whenever you did that ocular trick of your own, unless in a hurry, it happened slowly; whereas his Sharingan can activate in a split second. "Is that hard for you to do?" He meant no mockery, but wondered out of genuine curiosity.

"Kind of, since it's not exactly natural. I can activate Yurei on regions of my body, but for a cost. My eyes are the worst to change, since this ability requires surgically precise chakra control. And while there are plenty of drawbacks, they allow me to not only see in pure darkness, but when I concentrate I can see inside of a person's body. And to an extent, it lets me see chakra." You quickly added, "Not anywhere _close_ to how you can see chakra, however."

Itachi nodded, turning and walking down the pitch black corridor. He'd seen you do this before, but you never really explained what the purpose was. "Then only use that when necessary."

"Yeah, well, its more of a niche ability than yours that's for damn sure. More adapted to medical purposes, really."

"Would appear so." He agreed. "Now tell me, how far do these corridors go, and in which directions?"

You thought on this question while leading the way, a slight frown marring your features. "I'd be lying if I said I knew the routes by heart. Thing is, a whole network of these tunnels were hollowed out, and most of them are false starts that'll mislead you for a respectable distance. Only a handful of them actually _go_ anywhere."

"To go to such pains to trick potential intruders...your family must have had as many enemies as we did."

"That's one way to put it." You grunted. "I think I recall where one of the ways out is. Seriously though, going through the tunnels is unnecessary, Itachi. I can get us through the city, we won't be seen as long as we are careful." Your reluctance spoke volumes. As if there was a piece of information you withheld.

"What're you not telling me?"

Perceptive as always. You clenched your jaw shut for the next several minutes of walking, and Itachi didn't press you. The silence did that _for_ him. You felt its weight, pressuring you with the knowledge that he could see through you. Not as though you were trying very hard to be secretive, though. Finally, you relented. "It's not about the underground." You said at last. The bad aspect of letting your guard down around a person you trust, is that nearly nothing can obscure their view of the truth. You hadn't been looking to keep secrets from him, but things sort of went in that direction inadvertently. And what you failed to tell him had been bothering you for a while now. Though you were good at writing that feeling off, it nagged at the back of your mind. Apparently, he detected some part of that.

"What, then?"

"Sasuke. It's about your brother."

"I'm listening." 

You didn't feel like talking about this now. It was something you neglected to tell him for too long. "Remember how I took that stupid joke too far? About making him sterile? Well, it wasn't him that I injected. It was a body double."

Itachi almost blinked. _That's_ what was bothering you? "I see...is that all?"

"No." You rounded a bend in the hall, stepping nimbly over and around crumbled stone debris and filthy, yellowing skeletons. "Since we had our little disagreement over what your intentions for Sasuke were, back in Amegakure, I chose to take actions of my own. I had my people dig into your brother's life, learn what they could about him, see if there was anything that could put a stop to this. They didn't find any information of the sort of course. But what they _did_ find; is that while doing everything in his power to hunt you down Itachi, he ended up developing a network of his own. So I implanted a person or two into his growing network...people who couldn't be linked to me in any way, shape, or form."

"And what was the purpose of that, exactly?" Itachi asked. He was calm, but you sensed that you were perilously close to agitating him. He loves his family, especially his younger brother. Despite that Sasuke did kill him, Itachi would keep on protecting him. Even if that included saving him from the woman he loves.

"Nothing detrimental, I promise." You said hastily, feeling rather as though you were walking on eggshells. "It was intended as a fail safe. When I realized that you were going to go through with your plan anyway, and Madara was now dead...who was going to tell Sasuke what he needed to hear? Me? Megs? I don't think so."

"....." He said nothing. Had nothing _to_ say to that, because you were right.

"So I made certain that the people I planted in his little info-network were loyal, and damned good at what they do. I gave them the information they needed to feed him after your death, so that when his friends recovered him, shortly thereafter somebody would come forward with a report." You rolled your ghostly eyes, and almost winced. That kind of hurt for a second there. "I only hope they timed it right, because when I spoke to Sasuke, I attempted to lead him to believe that it could be awhile before I am able to resurrect you. I know the window they had to act was too short for comfort, but Itachi...there's no way he'd believe a one word of the truth while you draw breath. Now, whether or not he absorbed what I told him is another matter entirely, but--"

"Enough."

You faltered, stopping and turning to see those brilliant red orbs lancing through the dark in your direction. It was impossible to read him through the inky blackness down here, and his voice betrayed nothing. "Sorry. Perhaps I shouldn't have interfered."

“You’re right. You _shouldn’t_ have gotten involved.” His answer was quiet, bridging on a whisper that hardly cut through the dark. “But you are correct on both accounts. I knew how Madara would act once I was no longer part of the equation. With him gone, it affected how my plans played out. Granted, if I could’ve killed him myself, I would have.”

“So are you pissed off at me for meddling or what?” You asked, trying not to let the words come out sharp and impatient. Itachi stepped past you and continued down the corridor. “Don’t mistake my meaning. You should _not_ have interfered. But I understand why, and what you’re attempting to accomplish. For that, I thank you.”

You watched his retreating back and then followed, relieved that he wasn’t tearing you a new one right about now. Itachi is too even-keeled to overreact to any situation. He isn’t the sort to whine, complain or carry on in any capacity. Though admittedly, he made his feelings on the subject known in a way which was uncomfortably formal. This told you that he _is_ actually a bit upset with you. Thankfully, that was somewhat mitigated by his levelheadedness. 

Once again taking the lead and showing him the way out of this dank place; you reflected on the fact that you were being a bit too cautious around him, and were far too concerned about his potential reaction to your confession. In all actuality, you knew better than to be worried. But this time around you were a bit of a mess in the emotional sense. Losing him was more painful than anticipated. Specifically, because you’ve never loved someone enough to be thrown for a loop by their death, and were faced with having to cope even for a few days. To endure that sense of loss for a lifetime, like a _normal_ person, was incomprehensible.

At last your path would turn up a crumbling staircase, around a brick wall, and emerge into watery daylight. On the way up as the darkness lessened, you became able to see your breath come out in frosty clouds. So you relinquished the jutsu, and your eyes would revert back to normal. They ached horribly. For a second the world was painfully bright, even though the sky was woolen with slate clouds. You shielded your eyes with the side of a hand upon your brow, and turned towards Itachi, whom was surveying the area with his Sharingan. 

“All that remains.” You intoned solemnly, squinting and misreading his expression. Except what he was looking at was not the surrounding ruin. It was the graffiti. The brick wall you both stepped around to exit originally had a weathered old Akatsuki cloud rendered upon its rough surface, but now it sported a fresh black circle with a diagonal line through the center. Beside it in bold black letters was the phrase, ‘DOWN WITH THE FALSE GOD’, written in a stack of one word at a time, one on each large brick in the wall against the left edge.

You lowered your hand, frowning. “ _That_ wasn’t there before. Seems the artist still frequents this place after all.”

“Any guesses as to whom might be this reckless?” Itachi asked, to which you shook your head. “No one that I can think of. There’s hardly a surface untouched around here now.” You turned away. “In any case, seems like snow could be on the way. Let’s get to the courtyard.”

“Won’t most of the plants be dead by now?”

“Sure, many will be.” You agreed almost airily. “The courtyard is a little broken down in places, but it will have kept the plants mostly sheltered from frost. Not to mention, plenty of them are rather tenacious. They don’t die so easily.”

“Reminds me of a certain woman I know.” He deadpanned, but you laughed in spite of his tone. “Anyone I’ve met?”

Itachi gave you the look that comment deserved, and said nothing. You sighed. He was still in a bit of a mood, and rightfully so. Though you wondered why he had yet to retract his Sharingan. And he was tenser than he ought to be. Sure, this place is located within the city limits, but you both weren’t talking loudly, and no one knew you were here. Kusagakure would be too busy entertaining their two new guests, and hurrying to send a representative to the Five Kage Summit to speak with both the Tsuchikage and Kazekage once they were available. Approaching both men on neutral ground was the smartest move they could make with the world as tumultuous as it is.

Once there, Itachi peered inside the courtyard and was surprised to see that you weren’t kidding. This place was a riot of greens, purples and browns, though was somewhat diminished as much of it had withered. None of the flowers were blooming, but an alluringly sweet scent lingered. If he weren’t careful, it might’ve unconsciously drawn him closer. You were already maneuvering through the spindly paths, heading towards the center where there was a cracked, dry fountain laying on its side. The stagnant pool beneath it was so motionless it resembled solid green glass.

You walked past this, stepping over the ruins of the fountain, and approached a vine with fat, arrow-shaped leaves that were browning at the edges. But while you began harvesting, Itachi turned back and lingered in the shadows outside the courtyard, his red eyes sweeping the vicinity tirelessly. Something felt wrong to him. As if neither of you were alone. 

Wouldn’t take long for him to determine that his suspicions were correct, as a shadow shimmered behind him...


	13. Cornered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An ambush goes awry, and you're both on the move again. While you and Itachi consider what to do next, Tsunade has a decision to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: Hi guys! ^^’ I know my update speed has gotten slow. And yeah, I’ve begun posting another fic…that has nothing to do with the update speed of StR though. Since I’ve been having computer problems, it slows me down. But I will admit that considering I haven’t been getting any actual feedback so far, I’ve been less motivated to crank out chapters quickly. Don’t get me wrong; I appreciate the reads and the kudos. Always have always will, and thank you guys for those.
> 
> Also, don't remember if I mentioned this, but I am going to be attending classes again at the end of September.

Cornered

 

Shadows resonated with movement…here first, then there, then a ways further down the wall. Itachi flung a kunai that whistled through the cold air, pinging off a stone wall where the shadow was a moment ago. Upon hearing the resulting ‘clang!’ you straightened up from kneeling; and another shadow fell over you from above, passing too rapidly to be identified. You raised your head to scan for the source but saw nothing, and sensed even less. All you could see from down here was the broken domed skylight, though a single piece of fractured glass was disturbed from the ledge, glinting end over end as it tumbled to Earth. 

_’Crap, we probably should’ve waited awhile longer.’_ You cursed inwardly, turning slowly to survey the area. Then as your back was turned, you detected motion and whirled in time to grasp a certain redhead’s forearm, his hand reaching level with one of the pouches on your belt. When tightening your grip on his wrist you felt it give a bit too easily, like a bag filled loosely with sand. “You’re going to have to do better than that, Sasori.” No sooner had your sentence finished did you unsheathe your wakizashi, and blocked a puppet’s scimitar from the opposite direction. The body double on your other side dissolved through your fingers into a heap of sand.

“Give him back to me.” The puppeteer’s cold voice arrived from the other end of the room. 

“You’re awfully sprightly for a dead man.” Your response was equally as icy. “I guess Kusagakure’s Medic Division deserves more credit than I’m willing to offer.”

“Yes well, you aren’t the only one with connections.” Sasori sneered, and reeled his puppet back. It wasn’t one you recognized; although it was definitely once human, albeit a forgettable and plain-looking one.

“So where’s that guy from, the reject pile?”

“I’m not here for pleasantries, Gyaku. Give that scroll back _immediately_.”

“I fear that’s impossible.” Came your response, intended to both mystify and agitate him. You began to shift to the side, planning to catch sight of the puppet master, but he moved his doll to continue obscuring line of sight. _’Now, where’s Deidara?’_ You wondered, then as if to answer your unspoken question, the sound of metal colliding against metal caught your attention; but you didn’t chance a look. Itachi was out there. Who _else_ could be fighting blondie?

Admittedly, you weren’t feeling as sharp as usual right now. After all you’d just been through, let’s face it; one night of sleep wasn’t going to cut it in terms of a full recovery. Rarely does, truthfully. And surely these two are counting on that, but they aren’t going to be at 100% either. 

_’Hasn’t been long since the fight, I doubt either of them is fully recovered. Already he’s being more careful now than he was originally.’_

But that should go for you, too. Extra caution would spread a long way here, same as before. You didn’t want to always lean so heavily on Onryo to kick in should the opponent score a fatal blow; though that ought to never happen in the first place. Typically, you had to kill _yourself_ to transition. Still, the fact that you were able to fight without changing the other day proved that you didn’t need to constantly rely on that ability, indispensible though it is. 

Sasori sent his puppet forward and fired off another rain of poisoned senbon, but you evaded his clouds of needles. Your mind was elsewhere. Had you successfully prevented Deidara from using his explosives earlier? Outside this courtyard there hadn’t been any explosions whatsoever, but there was the sound of steel on steel instead. That stopped in record time, however, and in between volleys of senbon, you heard a body slumping to the floor near the entryway, just barely out of sight. Itachi decided that he wasn’t going to waste much time on Deidara, apparently, because a second later he appeared in front of Sasori without the puppet master able to react fast enough. Their eyes were locked together, and his dangerous doll went skidding to the ground, crashing into an already crooked pillar. You walked around the perimeter of the room behind the columns, stepping out of the shadow behind Sasori and looking beyond him towards Itachi. His Sharingan were changed to Mangekyou already, and his gaze was unwavering upon Sasori’s. Both men were completely motionless. You raised an arm over the redhead’s shoulder and hovered your wakizashi millimeters away from his jugular, waiting to see what would happen next.

Then, you heard a crackling noise from up above, and averted your gaze upwards to find the source. Seeing nothing at first, you returned your attention to the situation at hand, only to hear the sound once more. Before you could go check it out, Itachi and Sasori came back to life. The puppet master nearly collapsed; but you grabbed his upper arm with your free hand and supported his weight, black blade loitering at his throat. Sasori was breathing a bit heavily now, his head searing with pain and a terrible weakness radiating throughout his limbs. That had been hundreds of thousands of times more intense than even his most _horrific_ nightmare. He barely survived Tsukuyomi intact just now, and his sanity was hanging by a spare few threads. Fuck, where was his partner when he ACTUALLY needed him?

“Well done.” You remarked, amused. “Itachi can count on one hand how many people have endured that and survived. Guess you made the cut, Doll.” You shifted the wakizashi directly against his throat, but didn’t slice. He could feel that hard, keen line so close that if he swallowed, he’d score a shallow cut against his jugular. Sasori cursed inwardly, desperately casting around for a solution. If he twitched a muscle you’d slit his throat, he didn’t need a narrative to understand that much. And Itachi was more brutally powerful than he’d ever seen him. There was a substantial change in the man across from him, but he couldn’t figure out what that is. “Did she do something to you too, like she did to me?” Sasori asked, referring to his own murder and revival in Anarchy, leading up to Deidara facilitating his suicide so that you would be made to resurrect him without any tricks. “Are you her plaything now?”

“No.” Was Itachi’s simple answer. 

“I would never, ever, _ever_ do anything like that to him. You, on the other hand, have been on my shit list since day one. And guess whose fault _that_ is, eh Doll?” You angled the blade so that it crossed over his throat, and the tip nudged under his jaw line. He automatically tilted his head along with it. “If you didn’t start acting like a jackass from the start, I never would’ve gone that far to keep you in line.” Relinquishing your grasp upon his upper arm, you reached beneath his cloak and unbuckled his cargo belt, then flung it to the ground beside Itachi’s ankle. If Sasori wanted to dive for it, he’d have to get past a chakrasteel blade. Then he’d have a seemingly agitated Uchiha with some serious ocular firepower to contend with.

“Now,” Itachi began, deciding to intervene on the conversation before it got sidetracked any further, “Have you reported to Pein on our location?”

Sasori didn’t say anything. He set his jaw, looking down to the side where his pack was. Completely disarmed as he is, the only puppet he had a remote chance of grabbing was the one you stole, and he knew you wouldn’t keep it in a front pouch where he could sneak a hand back to grab for it. Not to mention, you aren’t unobservant enough where you wouldn’t notice a blindly groping hand. Sasori may like to insult your intelligence where he could, but he had to remember that you’re still his superior’s former apprentice. There’s no getting around that fact, right along with his earlier humiliating defeat alongside that useless artist-wannabe Deidara. This time they were going to try and get the drop on you whenever you ventured outside, but didn’t succeed because you weren’t alone. They figured that you had yet to resurrect Itachi since you would’ve had a long march from Yugakure, and to get here so fast you must have gone nearly nonstop. Apparently you didn’t bother waiting for your stamina to replenish before deciding to get the job done. And what a fricken’ _awesome_ job of it you did. Itachi was more overwhelmingly powerful than ever. Whether or not you denied it, Sasori couldn’t help but think that you did something different this time, some kind of strength boost perhaps. Little did he know, it’s only because Itachi wasn’t sick anymore, and his eyes were temporarily renewed once more. Deidara fell against him in what couldn’t have been any longer than one full minute, and that’s most likely because Itachi wasn’t being totally serious, here. Dei didn’t have much to defend himself with when his clay was so envenomed that he had to throw it out, and he didn’t have any more left which was uncompromised. You got it exactly right when you poisoned his primary weapon, a weapon which he takes into his body regularly, chews up, and spits out. 

“Did you report our location?” You echoed, in case Sasori was so caught in a reverie that he forgot the question.

“…” He didn’t plan on speaking, clearly. Itachi took one step forward. “You barely lived through one Tsukuyomi with your sanity intact. You won’t survive a second one in as many minutes.” You told Sasori in his ear. A frown tightened his features, and he gritted his teeth. “Yes. We reported this location.”

“How long ago?” Itachi asked.

The redhead calculated, and then answered reluctantly. “Roughly over three hours ago. Now where’s Deidara?”

“Don’t concern yourself with him.” Itachi said, his sanguine stare never leaving Sasori’s wearied brown orbs. “Do you know who are they sending?”

“Who’s _left_?” Sasori countered pointedly. He knew you both wanted a more specific answer, but you weren't getting one. 

“Did you tell them that I am alive?” Itachi continued, unimpressed with his sharp tongued response. Sasori resisted the urge to shake his head. At this response, your off-hand landed upon his shoulder, dug your fingers in unnecessarily hard, and turned your blade upon its flat, pressing hard against his throat. The location of that pressure nearly made him choke. “Nnng…no. We didn’t think she had a chance to bring you back.” This was fine by him, particularly if he could continually drag the interrogation out. These questions wouldn’t buy either of you much more time no matter _what_ he said. Though as he lingered before saying anything, playing the role of a loyal henchman, he hoped that this wouldn't waste on much longer. Backup was certainly taking long enough to arrive. Sasori does hate waiting, but he didn’t have much longer to endure this. If he played along, his throat wouldn’t be cut. Damn it, this wouldn’t be a problem if he were in a puppet’s body like before! He felt utterly helpless, a sensation which he didn’t miss in the least. Now Sasori needed his partner to back him up more than the earlier days, where they’d often argue then split directions. Here, he was faced with the grim possibility that he wouldn’t be walking away from this if help didn't get here fast enough.

When neither of you said a word further, Sasori decided it was his turn to speak freely. “Why bother running? You can’t outmaneuver us forever. Not to mention, the reason why you both left is a bit of a mystery to those of us who haven’t been graced with the truth.”

“Would you really believe either of us if we told you?” Your response dripped in acid. 

“Enough, Saiya. He’s been attempting to bide his time.” Itachi commented, watching the other man as he remained uncomfortably close to dying in your grasp. “We can’t wait any longer.”

“So, don’t know about you, but _I_ heard that it’s okay to kill you now—“ You broke off. Something blurred through the courtyard and smashed into the bowed pillar where Sasori’s puppet lay crumpled. The result was instantaneous: that pillar snapped in half and collapsed, with a portion of the ceiling caving in as well. Another one toppled, now relieved of its burden, and the chain reaction continued. Right as you were about to slice Sasori’s throat, a pool of shadow opened below both of you and you jumped away with a curse as Zetsu pulled Sasori in, and vanished. He nearly got you as well. Sasori’s life wasn’t worth getting caught over.

At the last second you reached down and grabbed Sasori’s discarded cargo belt, and lit on out of there after Itachi while part of the world you knew so well from your childhood crashed down around your ears. You both crossed the spaces between houses fast as could be and booked straight for the underground, where you didn’t hesitate to turn ghost and lead the way, neither of you saying a word during the short journey to the safe room. Kusagakure would send people to check out what caused that disturbance, and neither of you wanted to be there when they searched the premises top to bottom. After darting through twisting halls you both found yourselves locked in that room, and threw yourself out of Yurei mode immediately. “Fan-fucking-tastic.” You growled. “We can’t catch a break.”

“Seems so.” Itachi answered, sitting down. You stood beside him and emptied the contents of Sasori’s belt onto the cot. “I doubt that there’s anything that’ll give us an idea about what they’re up to in here, but I thought it can’t hurt to look.”

“Leave it here, though.” Itachi warned. “They can use that to track us.”

“Probably, Zetsu could sniff us out or something to that effect. Though to be fair, if they're going by scent alone, they've got sheets and towels and all that back at our old apartments.” You assented, pawing through the mound of possessions. What Sasori kept on him didn’t exceed expectations; senbon, five different scrolls, some kunai, a few vials of poison, one partial roll of bandages, and a couple capped syringes of his favored antidote. You began opening scrolls, tossing aside each one that was a puppet, until you found one that didn’t have a dowel in the center. This turned out to be a rolled up map, and you unfurled it. Itachi looked down at its surface also. “They’ve marked their path.” He commented. You snorted, handing the map scroll to him for further study. “Fat lot of good that does us, I’m sure they’ll assume we have his map now, and that we’ll go wherever they have already been.”

“In any case, I doubt Sasori had any real reason to lie to us.”

“Yeah.” You said, finding one of the biggest metal vessels you could, and put it on the floor. Then you grabbed the puppet scrolls and dumped them in the pot, and picked up a match book. Itachi raised an eyebrow. “Are you burning those to spite him?”

“While that _is_ an added benefit, I’m doing this more for practicality’s sake. I really don’t want more of his so-called ‘art’ falling into the wrong hands. It’s bad enough that runt from Sunagakure has some…ah, Kankuro was it…? He has a few of Sasori’s earlier creations, but these are in a whole separate league altogether, as you know. Those puppets aren’t made from humans. _These_ are.”

“How very humane of you.” Itachi commented wryly. 

“Though you make a good point.” You set the matchbook down rather than lighting one, and sighed. “We should take what we need and go as soon as possible. Think I should burn the Kazekage scroll also?”

Itachi thought on this for a moment, then shook his head. “No. That one is more precious to him than the others, it could be used as a bargaining chip after all. Failing that, Suna may be interested in obtaining that puppet for themselves. It is effectively the corpse of their wayward Kazekage.”

“I wonder if they’d bury it.” You said, turning to pick up a few things and packed them away. Itachi did the same. “What a waste, I wish they didn’t feel the need to drop a ton of stone on my garden, those bastards. There were mature plants in there which are considered damn near priceless on foreign shores, and here as well. I could’ve made a _fortune_ pawning them off if I found somebody insane enough to purchase them.”

Itachi stole a kiss to shut you up about it, and set his pack down beside yours, where you prepared to put them both into containment scrolls. “That’s quite enough of that, Kakuzu.” He mocked gently, and you grumbled. “Hey, just because I have business sense doesn’t mean that I’m like that greener-than-sin money grubbing prick.”

“Whatever you say, my love.” _Again_ with the teasing. He probably wasn’t planning on letting up soon. But that was alright. At least he was kidding around now, and appeared to be completely over that discussion from earlier. If he wasn’t, you were sure you could find a way to make it up to him. “Anyhow, when I ran into Kitsuna, she said she wanted me to go to Kumogakure at my earliest convenience, head to the front gate, and tell the guards that I’d like to call upon her for a matter of business. I’m sure that’ll earn more than a few raised tempers, but she appears willing to take her chances.”

“That falls in line with our plans to begin with. Did she say what she wanted?” Itachi asked, rightfully suspicious of this woman whom he’s never met. The very same person who killed Madara in a heartbeat according to you, and subsequentially messed up his plans for Sasuke. While he could hardly begrudge anybody knocking off Madara, this woman stepped in and caused things to turn out as they did.

“No, I haven’t a clue what she wants. For her assistance back in Yugakure, I owed her an unnamed favor, and she’s calling it in. But she’s a Yoriwara. What exactly can I do for her which they can’t do for themselves?” With a ‘poof!’ the packs disappeared into both scrolls, and you handed Itachi his. He accepted and pocketed it. “That remains to be seen.” He said, “Though this solves the issue of ‘where to begin’ when we reach Kumogakure.”

“Indeed, I still plan to make good on my promise. I was able to repair your eye damage to a higher extent while you were dead, but that’s only a stopgap measure. It could ostensibly last for life if you don’t consistently wear down your Sharingan, but that’s just a theory. I can’t do anything more at this point that’ll make a difference. Not until I discover a way to fix that problem. Permanently.”

He nodded, feeling a bit more grim now. Your words rang ominously, he knew that you’re right. Only so much can be done, and he was asking you to do something which might be considered impossible without taking his brother’s eyes as spares. But Itachi didn’t want that for Sasuke nor himself. As it stands, you had already done literally everything possible to slow it down. Towards the end, every measure taken to slow down the wear and tear on his eyesight had faded very badly towards blindness, especially during his fight with Sasuke. Up until then he was great at pretending that nothing was wrong. And that disease had something to do with it, though he didn’t know the connection precisely. Perhaps you figured it out, but he didn’t feel like asking yet. You both had enough problems on your plates as it is.

"In any case, let's hurry on before we can't get the hell out of here unseen for the next 48 hours." You suggested, and he agreed. With everything needed from here already packed up, you lit one match, touched it to the others in the little matchbook, and dropped that into the metal vessel crammed with puppet scrolls. Then you tossed the remainder of Sasori's things in once the fire flared up, and turned your back to it. "Shall we, then?"

Itachi nodded, and you both headed into the subterranean halls, moving as fast as possible through the dark without snapping an ankle. After approaching the exit, you both could hear voices on the other side of the wall, and you held your breath. Nobody noticed either of you yet, and there were plenty of structures to hide amidst to prevent being seen. A man called for his team to fan out and comb the area. Right before they realized that they're not alone; you both had slipped away and over the wall unnoticed, then made your way down the street. Problem is, they were wary now, more so now than earlier when they initially brought Sasori and Deidara in. With their disappearance from the holding cells, and the abrupt explosion of activity at the old Gyaku Compound, Kusagakure was bound to be on full alert for intruders. So rather than play it cool and evade detection by blending in like earlier, an alternate route must be used. In Konoha, Itachi was able to get you both in and out without a hitch. You knew you could do the same here, in the very place you were born and raised. 

Having led Itachi into a more sleepy, residential section of town, you navigated through yards and continually avoided being seen, and were soon able to sneak across the barrier and ran for freedom to the nearby mushroom-choked forest. Upon pushing far enough into the depths of the thicket, you stopped and turned to Itachi. He seemed to be doing alright far as could be noted, but you knew that he couldn't be feeling too great right now. This is a forbidden area; a forest where ingredients for poison were once harvested. Anyone caught unprepared here would end up choking on death within an hour. "Are you lightheaded yet?" You inquired, gauging his movements with critically shrewd eyes. 

"Not very." Said he; and one of your eyebrows twitched, threatening towards a frown. "It'll creep up on you. I have an antidote with me, should you require one. But don't let your pride get in the way _here_ , Itachi. It does no one any good. When you're ready, let's continue on. We have some time yet before they think to check out here for intruders." He initially gave no response, choosing to lean against a towering oak and take a second to rest. His lungs ached with every breath, and he felt slightly dizzy, but it was negligible. "So I take it if we can get through here, we will be free from pursuers for awhile?"

"Yeah." You answered. "We don't have to go through this forest the long way, but no one likes to come near here. It brings us a little further away from the Lightning country, but this'll definitely buy us some much-needed time."

"Seems that all we do lately is double back and get further away from the destination." He remarked dryly, to which you sighed. "Can't be helped sometimes. Ready?"

"Yes."

 

_Elsewhere, In Konoha City..._

Tsunade had been briefed on the situation regarding Hyuuga Tatsuo a little while ago, and she had only recently decided to have the man brought to her office. What harm could it do? He agreed to be unarmed and bound if it set everybody at ease, but she didn't feel the need to have him restrained. The Hokage wasn't afraid of one stranded Gyaku subordinate. Though she had no idea just what kind of person he was. Kakashi said he is different, but she wasn't aware of exactly _what_ way he meant. Coming from the Copy Ninja, that could mean any number of things. So she took it with a grain of salt, and watched from behind laced fingers as this Hyuuga man was marched into her office by a set of guards. Tatsuo took the chance to smile pleasantly and bow his head to the Hokage when he saw her. "Good day, Lady Hokage. Thank you for this opportunity."

One eyebrow nearly wavered upwards, but she remained rock steady. He sounded more as though he was stepping in for an interview. This man was already _far_ too relaxed for her liking. She wasn't sure if this is what Kakashi meant, though. Tsunade motioned to the guards to allow Tatsuo to have a seat, and he would do just that. "Now surely you've been told about the conversation I had the other night with--"

"Don't test my patience. Tell me why you're here." The blonde snapped.

Undeterred, he continued. "But of course, Lady Hokage, I was getting to that." Tatsuo defended mildly. "I am here on behalf of Lady Gyaku Saiya the Undying and Eidolon," He began. "The direct purpose of this visit is to suggest an alliance, or at the very least a truce."

Iruka, who sat a little ways off to the side, nearly sputtered on his tea. "Wh-what?! Are you ins--" But he faltered, cutting off at the sour, reprimanding glance he received from Tsunade's general direction. She turned her gaze back upon the Hyuuga. "What reason would we have to ally ourselves with this group....'Eidolon', or whatever you said it's called... _particularly_ if they are affiliated with Gyaku? She is a world class _criminal_."

"Yes, her reputation is well earned." Tatsuo deflected almost serenely. "To answer your question though, we have a common enemy in the Akatsuki. Lady Saiya has gained a wide array of intel on both Amegakure and the Akatsuki by residing with them for a period of time, as you'll no doubt recall. Information that _you_ sorely need, or else you might've dealt with them by now. Right now, they are at this center of this conflict. Taking them down is vital to the survival of many, if not all."

Tsunade unlaced her fingers, laying both palms against the desk. Her eyes shifted to that wooden surface before her. This office had been the scene of a murder, caused by the very woman whom this man spoke for. By all means she should have him killed, but something stayed her hand. Venturing into blind foolishness is not what kept this country alive, and nowadays, one must tread extra cautiously. There had been quite a few political maneuvers in the past few weeks, and the upcoming Five Kage Summit promised to be fraught with tension and peril of another kind. The approaching wars would require as much manpower as possible, having another ally could prove indispensible. _Particularly_ one who can resurrect the fallen. 

Then it hit her.

"Before I make any agreements, I would speak with her myself. I want proof she won't turn on us."

Tatsuo tilted his head, considering this. Though his answer came quickly. "I am certain she will have no objections to that. However, she is currently in transit. Lady Saiya may not be so easy to contact at the moment." Kakashi, who had been thinking on this too, decided to pipe up. "If I may," He asked at first, glancing at Tsunade, who nodded once. "Wouldn't you agree that a gesture of good faith would go a long way towards supporting your argument, Tatsuo?"

"But of course I agree, it would help tremendously."

"Then perhaps she could prove she is truly no longer a part of Akatsuki by repairing some of the damage they have done. There are two men who have completely lost their ability to walk as a result of the incident in the nameless city. They were attacked by one called Deidara. A criminal whom _Saiya_ resurrected."

Tatsuo listened to his pointed statement, seemingly without an ounce of concern. Indeed, Kakashi wondered for a second if Tatsuo actually expected someone or another to say that eventually. What's more, he knew exactly the two whom were being referred to. "Rock Lee and Might Guy. How have they been otherwise, apart from loss of limb?"

"They are doing as well as can be expected." Tsunade said a little flatly. Tatsuo smiled at this response. "Excellent. Then I shall contact her with all due haste. But as I've said previously, reaching her could take awhile. Akatsuki has been chasing her down."

"One more thing." Tsunade began, as Tatsuo began to arise from his seat. He raised his eyebrows at her. "You can't leave." Tatsuo laughed lightly. "Ah, is that all? I expected as much, Lady Hokage. This is not a problem; I have other methods of communicating with Lady Saiya, aside from in person." And with that, he would be escorted out of the premises, and Tsunade did her best not to feel apprehensive. When Tatsuo was out of earshot, she redirected her hard stare towards Kakashi. "So. 'Different'."

"I think he's genuine." Hatake answered. "If he intended to mislead us, I doubt it'd be like this."

"..."

"At any rate, even if we decline whatever her offer is, we can get Guy and Lee healed. That's worth the agitation. They deserve to walk again, being immobile has been more damning for them than if it happened to somebody else. And both have been continually asking if there's anything they can do for the war effort."

"Yes. I know. And he's right, isn't he? We need all the information on Akatsuki we can get." Tsunade sighed, perhaps for the eighteenth time that day. She pulled open a desk drawer, and extracted a lottery ticket from within. She learned this morning that it was a winner. 

Tsunade winning it big.  
Never _ever_ a good sign.


	14. The Principle of Uncertainty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not about science, it's about people. So little is ever nailed down for sure, and so much of your life is completely up in the air. When it all comes crashing down, where will the chips land?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: Life happens. This is all I need to say in order to explain my hiatus THIS time. I’ll skip the rest of the crap and get down to brass tacks, here.  
> I still haven’t caught up on Shippuden completely. I guess at this point with how chaotic ze schedule gets, sitting down to watch like 100+ episodes of an anime is out of the question. For now, anyway. So to anyone tuning in late, I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: when I set out to write this fanfic, Shippuden was only so far along. So while I try to maintain certain canon attributes, swerving off the beaten path can’t be helped.  
> Anyhow, this update is long overdue so I won’t delay further! Thank you guys for the reads, reviews, kudos and so on. <3
> 
> What I’ve Had Playing In The Background As I Wrote This (Even though I doubt anyone gives a damn): ‘Risingson’ – Massive Attack, ‘Antistar’ – Massive Attack, ‘Dream On’ – Aerosmith, ‘Loser’ - Beck

The Principle of Uncertainty

 

Fortunately for you and Itachi, no one snuck up on your asses when you escaped from the Grass. _Un_ fortunately, they didn’t have to…because at the next border town, you both spotted Hidan and Kakuzu before they took wise. It happened at the most inopportune time. Itachi was about to round a corner following your lead, and you casually turned on your heel, linked an arm with one of his, and shifted both of you out of sight into a deserted alley. You pressed a kiss to his mouth so passers-by didn’t think something was too strange about it. You got a few rolled eyes, and Itachi played along, but when you broke the kiss you leaned close and whispered in his ear.

“Hidan and Kakuzu, at the teahouse up ahead. Their backs are facing this way so they haven’t seen us.”

Itachi nodded, sending a sidelong glance across the way towards a glassy storefront. He could barely see their reflections from this angle, and the same would be true for them. But hopefully they wouldn’t notice quite so fast, especially since you both were dressed as normal folks. Before entering town, you stowed your weapons again. “They’ll find us if we linger.” Said he, and you agreed. “Yeah, they will. Don’t think slipping them a mickey in their drinks is going to work either, since their bodies are so abnormal.” You allowed him to guide you away, moving back the way you came. Within minutes, you were both out of sight around the bend, and navigating quiet side streets. It was early evening, and the air was crisp in the presence of dusk. Already the sky was turning hue, bleaching from light blue to yellow. You took another corner in stride and saw Itachi shoot a glance over his shoulder in the process. No one appeared to be following. Hidan and Kakuzu probably managed to miss you both back there, but that didn’t mean your paths wouldn’t intersect again.  
“Doubtless we’ll need to come up with something to deal with them, should we be confronted. We both knew that we couldn’t avoid Akatsuki forever.” You nodded, considering. “I don’t suppose bribery would work. There’s always a chance it will, but Akatsuki can outbid me any day. And I’ve begun to fund a large project so my people have a new headquarters to work from, not to mention restarting the distillery.” You tucked your lower lip into your mouth thoughtfully, a frown creasing your brow. “I mean, of the two Kakuzu is easiest. His alignment can be purchased, more or less.”  
“Except Akatsuki can always buy him back like you said, assuming he is open to bribery in the first place. He could betray us.” Itachi kept pace with you, but you got the feeling he was struggling not to pull ahead and lead. Neither of you knew where you were going, and you both were weaving through the streets of an older part of the city; a neighborhood where the houses were all stone-faced and in poor condition. A few duplex houses sported coats of ivy, the leaves of which had crisped at the edges from a recent frost. You passed them all without attempting to seem in a hurry. Ninja are trained on how to allay suspicion, but human nature can override training. It’s been proven time and time again. You were a bit nervous, and Itachi knew it. Perhaps this is why his body language insinuated that he wanted to take point. To protect his woman, possibly.  
You had both fallen silent for a while. This aged road trundled through the poor section where houses were more dilapidated than old. There were people outside their homes. Filthy children played in dirt-patched yards behind splintered fencing, adults smoked and drank on sagging porches, and somewhere a lone dog barked. No one new ever came here, not in their right minds. This is the neighborhood you get mugged in; and you two, while dressed in the garb of ‘normal’ folk, still looked like you had more money than they did. Travel-worn though you both obviously were, there were transients and vagrants squatting in abandoned houses who would kill you both for your shoes. You both left well enough alone, and kept walking. There was no suggestion as to where this road ends or what it’d lead to, but one way or another you two needed a place to stay and a market to buy supplies for the road.  
Though you didn’t check how long it’d been since conversation petered out, you knew it was far from over. It was only that you didn’t want to run the risk of one of these people being someone’s eyes and ears, and evidently Itachi thought the same thing. Once the vagrants, the unkempt children and their somber parents and elders were enough out of earshot, you stuffed your hands in your pockets and glanced at him. “Anyhow, you’re right. Kakuzu can’t be bought, unless something more tempting is offered; and I’m not sure what that would be at this stage. Then there’s Hidan, who is too much of a loudmouth to allow us to have a civil discussion. I’m pretty sure he won’t switch sides, either. Not unless there is something more to sweeten the deal; like letting him sacrifice whoever he wants to Jashin. Aaaand---“ You caught Itachi’s expression and hastily added, “--- _that’s_ not happening.” Clearly Itachi wasn’t about to switch his stance on senseless death. He appeared determined enough to alter your viewpoint as well, mostly because he knew damn well that murder was sort of a bad habit which you could relapse into at a moment’s notice. He didn’t want to change who you are as a whole, but he did the same thing with Kisame. Sometimes a killer has to be reined in. It’s seldom easy as that, but there you have it.

“Kakuzu likes to make money, and Hidan wants freedom to practice his religion. There are ways to accommodate both.” Itachi said. You had been thinking on this very thing, but weren’t completely sure of _how._ “Well yeah, but the thing is they’ll probably want instant gratification. We can’t offer _anything_ instantly. I can always see if Kakuzu would like to be the treasurer for my group instead, and draw up some kind of business deal. As for Hidan, apart from offering to let him torture enemies with his religion, I have no idea what would work.”  
Itachi was amused. “You practiced Jashinism once, and you don’t know what he’d want?”  
“Not especially, no.” You answered dryly. “Apart from letting him sacrifice the rest of Akatsuki, and I’m not delivering that lunatic _anything_ on a silver platter. He wants them so he can go get them himself. At this point, the only one I want for myself is Pein. What about you?”

“What do I want from Akatsuki, you mean?”  
“Yeah. That.”

There was a silence. He watched the road ahead; where the masonry faded into a crumble of gravel scattered across a dirt path. Shortly you would feel those stones rolling underfoot, and kicked some aside with each step. The silence was instead filled with the sound of crunching pebbles; and when that was gone, nothing again. “You of all people should know. All I want is for them to leave Konoha alone.” He said, hands now in his pockets. You observed his posture out the corner of an eye, and smiled faintly. Itachi’s still Itachi. Even including Madara’s demise, his goals would have only changed marginally. The take home is that he wanted the place he grew up to be safe again. It’s nothing short of remarkable, that this man remained loyal to a fault to his country. Even while that very country considered him an outcast and criminal of the highest magnitude.

“I’m sure we can find a way to protect them if it’s really what you want, Itachi.”

The reaction was instantaneous. He stopped and affixed you with an incredulous stare. All the time you’d known one another, and never did he recall you making such a grand gesture. You never wanted anything to do with Konoha, and on more than one occasion indicated that you wanted to hurt and/or kill Sasuke. “What did you say?” He asked, wanting clarification. You faced him, taking your hands out of your pockets. The air carried a chilly sting already, you felt it immediately. Despite that, a smile softened your lips. “Konoha means more to you than anything, it’s what you’ve sacrificed so much for. You’ve stood by me all this time; I have no right to do any less. So yes, Itachi, I will do this for you. I will do everything in my power to help you save your homeland.”  
He stared in disbelief, almost owl-eyed. This was the closest to ‘astonished’ that you have ever seen him. It made you burst out laughing, and you put your hands on his shoulders. “Hey, I thought you’d be happy. This _is_ what you want, isn’t it?”  
“Yes.” He said without hesitation, having awoken from his shock. “Yes, of course it is what I want. But are you absolutely certain?”  
You smirked at him. “Hey, even if they don’t like me…and I assure you, the feeling’s mutual…I don’t care about that. It’s for you, that’s all I need to know to get the job done. I’m not going to do this because I feel like I have to, I’m going to do this because I want to. I love you, and I would like to see this entire _country_ worth of stress taken off your shoulders someday.”  
He was back to staring again, almost motionless. You would never have said such things about a year ago. This was monumental progress to witness firsthand. Normally you were more focused on medical problems, or personal ones of a not-so medical nature. Above all, lately you’ve been worried about his eyes. But it popped into your head that it’s possible you cannot help him there at all. The Yoriwara Clan could be a dead end. If that’s the case, priorities need to be switched. He’d been bought some time for now in the eye department. If nothing else, it would be wonderful if Itachi could witness Konoha’s freedom from tyranny firsthand while he retained vision. Pein will have turned his attention to the Leaf, and the Hokage won’t be able to do much against him. He could overturn Konoha’s leadership in one short afternoon, possibly less.  
So circumventing that issue would be good for Itachi, and perhaps this would put an end to all that unfinished business. So before he could potentially go blind forever, you wanted this to happen. It means wading tits-deep into the war, but so what? You’re tangled up in it anyway.  
Before any other heartfelt sentiments could be expressed, a door several paces back opened and slammed shut, and muffled shouting ensued. An ongoing domestic dispute, seemingly. It was enough persuasion to resume pace down the road. This was fine by you. It gave Itachi time to let everything sink in. Same is true of yourself; you were slowly beginning to wonder if there were any lengths you _wouldn’t_ go to for him.  
Soon you’d both be realizing that the best place to go for now was a hotel. Squatting in one of the buildings down in the poor quarter wouldn’t be smart. If Hidan and Kakuzu were to sneak up on your asses, that’s where it’d happen easiest of all. And no witnesses would step up. So not an inn or a motel, but a busy _hotel_ would discourage them from creating a scene. The sort of place that keeps a tight leash on its employees and bombards patrons with ‘good’ customer service. The front desk was occupied with a snooty looking woman in a starched white shirt and a tailored blazer, with the company logo pressed into the lapel. She was less than pleased to issue a room key, but in the end your money is as good as anyone else’s. A bellboy tried to insist on carrying your bags to the elevator, but neither of you were interested. Itachi politely fended off the guy’s efforts, and soon you would both be in the safety of a suite practically smack-dab in the center of all the other occupied rooms. Practically as soon as the door snapped shut, you rolled your eyes and deposited your bag on a bench at the foot of the bed. “Did that receptionist lady seem less than ‘receptive’ to you?” Itachi chuckled. “We don’t look like their typical clients, to be fair.” He said. “This is a good place to stay for now. It’ll buy us enough time to think.”  
You sat on the corner of the bed and pouted. “Aw what, only thinking? Can’t we keep some of the neighbors up all night?”  
Itachi approached and knelt down in front of you, so you were both nearly eye level. He gently gripped your chin, leaned forward, and kissed you; lingering to the point where it felt more and more sensual before pulling back. “Want a shower?” He asked almost casually, voice low. You grinned and kissed him back. Last time you both had shower sex it was agreed that was not the best way to have fun, though not for lack of trying. That first time you both went in there just wanting to enjoy the experience, in over your heads with a raging need for release…and you both realized that nimble as ninja are, someone WILL slip and fall. There is next to no traction so he isn’t about to lift you up by your thighs to pin you against the wall for maximum penetration; and oh by the way, soap ends up in places where you _really_ don’t want it to be. There had been a couple other times where it wasn’t so bad; though beyond that it wasn’t the most enjoyable place to fool around. Movies seem to glamorize it far more than is deserved. A specific ‘episode’ came to mind, where you both slid on a slick of soap and ended up bruised at the backside, elbows and knees from slipping and taking a spill more than once in one go. At least you both could smirk at the memory, it was much funnier in hindsight.  
“You go first.”  
He nodded and went in, laughing a little to himself at the same memory you were. 

_In Konoha City…_

Tatsuo couldn’t help but smile to himself as he finished writing a scroll. He wasn’t lying that he had his ways, sure enough, he already knew where you could be found. Thankfully his way of knowing hadn’t failed him on this particular day. The way he kept tabs on all particular members of the organization was a little system he developed with Mai when she was alive, with your consent. Each person keeps a tiny marker stowed on their person, like a tracking device. These markers can be followed using a jutsu and a very special book, which when opened looks like nothing more than an innocent atlas meant to help a traveler navigate. When the jutsu is activated however, the language switches to code and one can find the person they are searching for. Only high ranking members were permitted to have an Atlas of this make. If the Cypher Corps from any given country figured out what it was and how to crack the language, all they would need is the corresponding jutsu to turn it into a weapon; effectively making nowhere safe for each person who is a part of Eidolon.

Except you had thought of that ahead of time, and requested that both a fail-safe and a sort of ‘alarm system’ be included. More on that later, but suffice it to say, such organizations as your own survive with utmost secrecy as a barrier.  
“Excuse me,” A voice said patiently from behind, and he craned his neck to look over his shoulder. “Are you nearly finished?” This person, named Sai, was thought to have died a few times and each time outsmarted the necessary authorities. As of now the Hokage believed he was the ideal candidate for this job. Ink is his strong suit, and he was stationed in Tatsuo’s room to watch over him and make sure this guy didn’t pull a fast one. No one trusted him as far as they could throw him. He’s a Hyuuga/Gyaku bastard with a silver tongue and manners to match, has no problem fearlessly identifying his allegiance with unwavering confidence and didn’t mind remaining disarmed and kept under house arrest. Nothing sticks to him, and nobody can trust a guy like that. Particularly when such a person appears to stay in charge of the situation even 90% of the time, and nothing surprises him.  
Tatsuo turned all the way around and smiled up at Sai from where he sat. “Why yes, I am. You’d like to inspect this before it is sealed and sent, yes?”  
Sai accepted the scroll wordlessly and unfurled it, black eyes flickering across lines of text. So far, so good. Maybe a little _too_ good. Tatsuo didn’t appear to try including some kind of code for ‘save my ass because I am balls deep in shit’ or anything else for that matter. It’s always possible that he could have gotten the memo when they said ‘no funny business’, but then, no one believed that for a hot second. Or else Sai’s presence in this room wouldn’t be necessary.  
At first he tried a small jutsu to unlock any secret contents, but the scroll was unresponsive. He attempted a couple other tricks, and still nothing. Tatsuo watched and appeared almost delicately confused. “Sorry, is it not to your liking? I though this is what was agreed upon. Have I broken one of the many rules?”  
To this Sai looked up from the inked paper, poker faced as ever, and faked a smile. “Oh no, it’s perfect. Too perfect actually. What are you hiding?”

“I’m certain I have no idea what you mean.” Tatsuo said, mildly amused. “You have been here the whole time, at which point could I have doing anything other than write a simple letter?”  
Well the guy had a point, but Sai didn’t want to admit it. Every instinct deep down told him to rip it up and ask him to write a new one, with one of Sai’s own scrolls this time. But someone knocked on the door outside, and a muffled voice called through. “Hey! Are you two lovebirds done yet? Lady Tsunade wants this missive out before nightfall, get it?” Sai ignored the voice and turned back to Tatsuo, handing back the paper. He rolled it up and tied it closed with black and purple cord, then offered it to Sai. “The rest is up to you.” Sai accepted it, and read the slip of paper Tatsuo handed him next. “You’re positive the address is accurate?”  
“Absolutely. That is where she will be.”  
“And how do you know for sure?”  
Tatsuo offered a lukewarm smile. “As I said, I’ve got my ways. Rest assured, it’s no trick. You will use one of your ink beasts to deliver it, and she ought to get here as soon as she is able; providing there are no distractions preventing her from arriving in a timely manner. This way no one feels threatened. If she attacks your ink courier, you would know well before she reads this. So even if I _did_ manage to sneak a message by; it wouldn’t matter. I assume this is a satisfactory arrangement?”  
A pause for consideration. Sai couldn’t dally any longer and make this man re-write his missive. Instead, he knelt down and set the object down and withdrew a scroll from his own pack with a brush. “Yes.” He hastily scrawled across the exposed paper, swift as ever without sparing the details. Even after that one time in the forest when you nailed his wrist mid-script, he barely felt the twinge anymore. Took a few healing sessions with a top-notch Medic, but the lingering pain diminished to an ache that seldom bothered him. He was lucky he recovered from that sort of injury at _all_.  
Having heard about that mess before, Tatsuo watched Sai’s brush strokes with keen interest; wondering if he’d catch the hitch in his stride, so to speak. But there was nothing to see. At this, his faint smile grew wider. Sai caught this knowing look when he blinked up from his work, forming hand-seals and releasing a sumi-e falcon from the scroll. It stood upon the now blank paper on wickedly curved talons, shuffled its wings and watched Sai as he offered the missive to it. The bird accepted it with an open beak, and fluttered out the open window.  
Tatsuo turned to watch over his shoulder, Byakugan momentarily activated. He could see the chakra pulsing within, flashing with every wing stroke. “You’ve put quite a lot of energy into that beast, Sai. Pray that it’s enough, or the failure of our negotiations will be blamed solely upon _you_.”  
Sai dropped his phony smile, arose, and stared coldly down upon the other man. “No one here trusts you. I doubt they would blame such a thing on me when you are a far better target. You’re valuable to this Saiya woman. If this fails, you will be in over your head.”  
“Hah, as though I’m not already?” Tatsuo said with a laugh. “You actually think I am _that_ important to her, do you? Then you’ll be sorely disappointed. She won’t come running if she senses a trap, she isn’t a fool. And what’s more, don’t forget she’s been traveling with Itachi.” At this Sai’s eyes widened a fraction. The poker face cracked. “What?”  
“Oh I thought you’ve heard.” Tatsuo said. “Practically the ultimate power couple as far as I’ve seen. They’ve been together for quite some time now. If memory serves, Uchiha Itachi is on Konoha’s ‘Most Wanted’ list. Added to that how he was the youngest ANBU Black Ops captain in your village’s history, and murdered his clan in one night. But lest we forget,” His smile returned, as Sai had enough of this. He could see it now. The pale man arose and turned away, was across the room with a hand on the door in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. “Tread carefully, as _Lord Uchiha_ is the one and only reason why she would want to protect Konoha.”  
Sai’s hand stilled upon the doorjamb, and he turned around to look perplexedly at Tatsuo. He was watching Sai with his Byakugan, and in the center there was a very faint slitlike mark, not unlike that of a snake or a cat. It was almost unnoticeable, and yet Sai saw it. This tiny, almost insignificant detail made Tatsuo look almost evil in that instance. Other Hyuuga had light, round markings where the pupil ought to be. “Why are you telling me this?” Sai asked at last, having found his voice in the midst of his astonishment. “You were in an audience with the Hokage.”  
The half-Hyuuga sighed, and closed his eyes. A hand stole to his forehead, slid down, rubbed over his eyelids. “Telling the Hokage this would’ve splattered my brains against the wall in one-point-five seconds flat. I’m no fool, Sai. She’d never trust this coming from me. But _you?_ You’re from ANBU Root. You’ve got your country’s best interests in mind, it’s been beaten into you from a young age. Do a bit of research while you can; learn the truth about why the Uchiha Clan had to die. Then speak to your leader. If you hurry, you’ll be able to find out what you need to know before Lady Saiya and Lord Itachi arrive.”

Dark eyes narrowed. “So why would I do this for you?”

“For me? Hah, no. Not for me. This is to protect the innocent. Konoha is hilariously outmatched. So ask yourself this: why was Akatsuki so unstoppable for quite some time? Because they had Saiya to revive them, no matter what shape they were in. She was a threat then; she is even more so now. Now Akatsuki has lost her assistance and she is on the run with Itachi.” Even Tatsuo, polite as he ordinarily is, had gotten tired of using ‘Lord’ and ‘Lady’. “You cannot keep relying on that hot-headed blond boy Naruto. His recklessness is infectious enough to nearly cost you this war. So get some insurance. Let bygones be bygones.”

“Except you mentioned Uchiha Itachi, and no one will abide his presence in Konoha. He is one of our most infamous missing-nin.”

Tatsuo leaned forward. “Saiya’s willingness to help shall be more or less conditional on whether or not Itachi is going to be safe there, I can tell you this much right now. She may not even enter Konoha without certain assurances.”  
“You speak as if she has no interest in her own safety.”  
“She is referred to as ‘the Undying’ for a reason. I invite you to contemplate why that _is._ ”

The men on the other side of the door had gotten tired of waiting and left, but a knock came at the door all the same. Sai took this as his signal to leave, and exited the room without another word. On the other side was Yamato. He leaned against the railing, looking down over the side into the street with his arms crossed. It was sunset now, and people milled about, some going home and others heading out to work. He turned his head back in Sai’s direction. “You’re troubled, but you’re trying to hide it. What did he say to you?”  
“…” Sai glanced to the side when two figures approached. The new guards, apparently. Yamato took this as a sign that Sai didn’t wish to speak of it in front of these no-names, and once both men were stationed on either side of the door, he pushed off from the railing and started walking towards the stairs with Sai. “Come on. Tell me about it over dinner. My treat.”

 

_With You…_

After rubber ducky time, you both were settled on the bed with damp hair and in the closest things to pajamas you both possessed. Itachi got up while you brushed your hair and had unmade his side of the bed, leaned over, stole a kiss, then let gravity drag his ass down onto the mattress. The bags under his eyes were more pronounced now than you’d seen in a little bit, and seeing him practically burrow under thick blankets wordlessly confirmed that he was going to bed now. You decided against joining him under the covers for now. It had been a few days and nights of bad road and dodging enemies, showers and sleep were required. You both were exhausted, but tried not to show it. Right now with how things have turned out, you had little reason to complain. Things were going the way they were because you both agreed it was time to cut Akatsuki loose and escape the Rain. Itachi died, was revived whole and healthy as he was bound to get right now, and you both managed to elude your pursuers for now. Things were actually going pretty damn well.

Seemed that more and more lately, emotional and physical stressors overloaded your days. It was stranger to have a laid-back day, and right at this moment today was feeling like one of those. Neither of you had to lift a blade since the last encounter with Sasori and Deidara.

Television was on low. You half-watched the news for any signs of how bad things really were out there. Keeping on the run meant that you couldn’t stay as informed as you wanted, you also couldn’t stay well-stocked on supplies. You began taking inventory, noting down what what must be picked up in town later. Your motions began to slow, it was getting deeper into night. For a minute you thought you heard suspicious sounds, and muted the television; only to realize there must be a group having sex a couple doors down, if all the different voices were any indication. You shrugged and picked up the remote then froze. There was a tiny noise from the door, and you stood up, picking up one of Itachi’s kunai from the table. Upon approaching the door you neither saw or heard additional strange sounds, so you twisted the doorknob and prepared to stab whoever was behind door number one. Instead, a slip of paper fluttered to the floor, and you leaned around to peer out into the hallway. You picked it up and withdrew back into the room, locked the handle, and unfolded the note.

_**S-** _

_**West 73rd Street. Graveyard. 15 minutes.  
Come alone.** _

_**-K  
** _

You stared at it. Kakuzu wanted you to meet them, it could be nothing more than a trap. Except everyone’s favorite cultist Hidan, also Kakuzu’s partner, wasn’t the discreet type. If he was all fired up already then he wouldn’t allow for a quiet meeting. Also if he wanted to get the drop on you, then he wouldn’t leave a note like this and nor would he station this meeting in a place where neighborhood kids were likely to appear to get drunk. A glance over your shoulder told you that Itachi was still very much asleep. You approached his bedside table, wrote a footnote at the bottom of the letter, and used the kunai as a paperweight.  
_**’Decided to look into this. Will be careful, should be back before you wake.’**_

Okay. Short and none too sweet, but with any luck you’d be back before he got to read it. Though it was 11:37, you need to throw on some decent clothes and make tracks. You had an idea of where the cemetery was, some way into the more upscale section. So you got dressed, armed, turned invisible and took off.  
Finding the place took a bit longer than anticipated, though you got there with a few minutes to spare. Kakuzu was already there, and Hidan was perched atop a short grave marker under a tree. He was sharpening his scythe with a corner of the stone which broke off. And you were curious to note that neither of them was wearing their Akatsuki cloaks.  
For a moment you watched them, then turned transluscent and alighted upon a bench by the tree. Kakuzu looked up from his reading. “You’re on time. Good.”

“Hey listen, I got a handsome man keeping the bed warm. Let’s make this quick. We’re on the run from these douchebags, you see…I kind of need to get some sleep before we hit the road again.” 

Hidan scoffed. “Hey now, we coulda killed you both no problem and you’d being rude?”

“What’s it matter? You both are the ones chasing us. So what’s this meeting about, anyway?”  
As Hidan prepared to interject again, Kakuzu piped up. “We are both tired of the way Akatsuki is doing business. “  
You lifted your eyebrows. “How’s that, exactly? They let you keep a cut of the cash, and Hidan gets to sacrifice people to Jashin. What’s not for you both to love?”  
“That’s just it, things have changed since you left. Pein has tightened the belt, he does not let anyone do as they please anymore. I don’t get to keep any of the money I earn from bounties since they are saving for the wars to come, and Hidan’s rituals are said to have discouraged new members from joining.” You listened, looked between both of them. Hidan continued scraping stone against metal, _shhing shhhing shhhh-ing._ Your gaze drifted towards Kakuzu again. “So what’re you saying? That I needn’t worry about either of you pursing us from now on?” You hoped they were thinking of something more. That they could join the group. Though actually, you weren’t sure you liked the idea of Hidan being a part of anything. He could be used more or less as an attack dog, immortal shock troops to discourage the enemy from attacking. 

“More or less.”  
“More or less?”  
“We need to make money, don’t we?”  
You blew out an irritated sigh. “So we’re walking price tags to you now. Fantastic. Okay, how about a counter offer: you two prove that you’re trustworthy and aren’t acting as double agents for Pein, and I’ll let you join my team.”  
“Huh? We’re free now, bitch, why would we sign up with _you?_ ” You turned back to Hidan. “Oh, you’re _far_ from being free of Akatsuki. Pein can and will come after you both, same as how he is chasing after Itachi and I. You are only two people, and without Hidan’s rituals ‘scaring candidates off’ as you say; recruits will be in no short supply. You’ll be bombarded.” You said. “So, you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. Kakuzu, unless I’m mistaken Pein only let you keep a finder’s fee of about three percent, maximum. But I’ll let you have 6% for small fry, and saaaaay…12% for big fish. That’s more than he gave you, plus a more permanent business contract could be negotiated so you take on the role as treasurer not only for the group, but for the Distilleries, which is slated to reopen as soon as construction is finished. I wouldn’t mind the finder’s fee for bounties being at those rates since, if you accept, you won’t have too much time to go out gallivanting. Now as for you Hidan,” You turned to him. “I don’t mind religion in and of itself, though I’ve learned it’s not my thing. But no recruiting the others. If they approach you about it, that’s different. You can even have your own space for worship, but how about you also get a job all your own? Like a hitman, except you get to take as long as you want to kill your marks. Torture the fuck out of them, for all I care. Strike _fear_ into their hearts. Show them why they shouldn’t have screwed around with us. We can and _will_ be taken seriously.”  
When you finished saying your bit, they were silent. Visibly taken aback, technically.  
“So.” You said, floating up from your seat. “Take some time to consider, and don’t forget that there will be a verification process. This is a one-time deal, good until the end of the month for each of you. Think on it. Make the right decisions for yourselves. If you want to head off into the sunset, fine, I’m not going to cry over it. But you could both do great things, when given the ability to do so. All Pein has ever done is restrict you both, and now here you are; saying that you aren’t planning on bringing me home to the boss-man.”  
“You don’t trust us at our word.” Kakuzu remarked, having found his gravelly voice. “Smart.”  
With a smirk, your appearance began to drift lighter and lighter. “What’s the term? Ah. ‘Trust but verify’. Anyway, I’m off. Think carefully, gentlemen.” 

And that said, you were gone, the ghost leaving a reaper and a zombie alone in the starlit graveyard.


	15. Wing and a Prayer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day of days, a day of realizations. 
> 
> Several leaps of faith later, you're just hoping that you don't land with a broken neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhig: Hullo! Hope everyone is well. Hey, we’re a ways through summer…that’s always a pleasant thought.

Wing and a Prayer

 

After what should have been a creepy-as-fuck late night meeting in the graveyard, you returned to the hotel optimistic. Itachi was still very much asleep, you hadn’t been gone long. But when you solidified and changed back into bedclothes, and looked around at all the things you had set out for inventory, you suddenly felt far too tired to deal with it right now. It’s past midnight, and on the road neither of you exactly had a chance to rest until now, so you decided to flick the light off and slide under the covers. Once you were settled, it felt as though your eyes were pinned open with toothpicks. You stared at the ceiling, ignoring the tiny light of a smoke detector in the corner. 

Did all that really happen just now? Were Hidan and Kakuzu trying to pull the wool over your eyes, and if so, did you succeed in persuading them to your cause? It was the intention all along, but you never expected they would play straight into your hands. What’s more, how’d they find out where you two chose to stay? 

You almost jumped clean out of your skin when the bed dipped as Itachi rolled over, bumped against you, and draped an arm across your belly. His head was just barely upon your pillow, and you could almost feel his warm, steady breath upon your neck and shoulder. You took a deep breath and expelled it as slowly and quietly as possible then closed your eyes, letting tension out of your muscles. What was the problem here? Easy. You went out on a limb with no backup, into what could have been a very bad situation; fighting against two others who can’t die easily. A battle that could turn into a hellish merry-go-round, where no one really wins…it never ends, it keeps going on and on. That’s what happens when ‘immortals’ lock horns.

As these thoughts slid through the cracks, so too did consciousness. It felt as though you blinked for one long second and suddenly the sun traded placed with the moon, and Itachi’s warmth was gone from your side. There was this moment where you lazily wondered why it was okay for him to leave you in bed alone, but he didn’t like it when you did the same to him. Oh well. It’s not as though either of you complained about such things, not with words anyway.

“Morning…?” You half-asked with a yawn, and stretched. Your eyes fell upon his bedside table, where your drowsy brain dully recalled that you forgot to remove the note. Damn it. You sat up fully and looked over towards the sitting area, where he was watching the news on low volume and packing away all the things you left out the night before. “Itachi, you mad?”

He looked up at you after a minute when you approached. He _wanted_ to be pissed off at you, but something was preventing him. “You need to stop being reckless.” He said, then gestured with a kunai before packing it away. “You’ve got mail.”  
Your mouth opened and closed like a fish, lacking the correct words, then turned in the direction he pointed. There, perched upon the open window, was a sumi-e falcon with a familiar scroll clutched in its beak. You rubbed the sleep from your eyes and blinked disbelievingly at it before approaching. “You could’ve taken it…” You began, and he gave a short, abrupt laugh. His mood was quite ‘off’ right now, Itachi usually isn’t one to scoff. “I tried. The bird won’t let me near it.”

“An ink courier, huh?” You said, standing in front of the window and reaching for the scroll. The bird cocked its head to the side to regard you with one beady eye before dropping the parchment into your waiting hand, but stayed put after that. When you made to turn away it flapped its wings and squawked harshly. You paused mid-motion and looked back at the ink beast, which calmed when you were facing it once more. “Okay, suppose it wants to see me read it.” You said to Itachi, who was now watching, his agitation forgotten. “There is only one person I know of who uses such a jutsu, and he hails from Konoha.” When Itachi said this, you did notice that most of the flourishes and swirls detailing the bird’s angular wings were actually the Konoha Leaf, the village emblem. With a shrug you untied the cord, then unfurled the parchment, eyes skimming across neat script. Itachi approached, and read from over your shoulder. The letter was actually very diplomatic. An invitation into the city, which clearly outlined the fact that they are holding Tatsuo there, and so on. You kept poker faced while the bird watched on, and you turned your back to it, causing the creature to stress and flap once more. You pressed the scroll to Itachi’s chest without warning, smoothed it out, and looked at him. “Keep it flat, please.” You mouthed, and he read your lips. He would do as requested, and you made a few handseals before causing a tiny orb of blue fire the size of a pin-head to float between thumb and forefinger. You brought it as close as you dared to the paper, and after a moment cramped, terse writing faded into sight around the edges of the paper, filling in any negative space. 

_**  
‘Am a willingly hostage. No weapons. Hokage will make demands as expected. Spoke to some of her people before and after. Have urged one called ‘Sai’ to find truth about Uchiha Clan ahead of time.** _

_**Delay as long as possible. I’ll manage.’  
** _

You kept on ignoring the bird’s noise, took the parchment from Itachi and burnt it, then looked back at the beast. “Yeah yeah, shut up already. I’m writing an answer.” Miraculously, the thing calmed, and you were able to take a seat and start scribbling. 

_**To Whom It Might Concern,** _

_**I shall accept your invitation. However I regret to inform you that my arrival time is not definite, as I doubt the Land of Fire would appreciate me leading enemies into her midst. I will take what time I need to escape detection before approaching. It should be noted that I am not traveling alone, and my companion and I shall both require a guarantee of safety once we cross into Konoha.** _

_**Realize that if either of us remotely suspects ill intent, you shall not enjoy the results. The same is true if anything happens to Tatsuo or any person under my protection.** _

_**S.G.** _

 

Since you were being watched, you wouldn’t encrypt an extra message for Tatsuo. Being unlikely he’d be allowed to read this anyway, there was no point in risking it. Besides, that falcon was acting funny. It’s possible Sai could be watching and listening through the beast. So you rolled up the paper, cinched a cord around the middle, and passed it off to the ink creature waiting on the sill. It snapped the scroll up and took wing, and you slammed the window shut after it unnecessarily hard. “Did you see that?” You said, staring after the bird’s fleeing shape.

“Yes.” Said he, and you could detect unrest in his voice. You turned and approached him. “I didn’t order Tatsuo to do such a thing. I only had a mole in Sasuke’s network feed him the right info at hopefully the correct time, I highly doubt it could’ve trickled back to anyone else.”  
“I know. You wouldn’t.” He said, once again sitting on the edge of the couch. You sat down beside him, watching Itachi lace his fingers, elbows balanced upon his knees and eyes averted to the coffee table. He almost appeared to be praying. There was a full few minutes where you said nothing, and the silence was filled instead of the low mumble of the television and a vacuum cleaner droning one room over. “Want to talk about it?”

Itachi almost shook his head. “It depends on Sai, doesn’t it? He’s the one who was chosen to run out this diplomatic mission because he can keep eyes on the situation without being endangered himself. His courier wanted to see what we would do. He could be weighing his options as we speak, about whether or not he should seek the truth.”

“Okay…” You began slowly. “There can’t be many who know. Hatake Kakashi, perhaps. Or that one named Yamato. Likely the Hokage herself--”

“Danzo.” Itachi interrupted, fingers still laced. He continued to watch the littered coffee table from over his digits. “Shimura Danzo would know the truth, and Sai would be well acquainted with him.”

“I’ve heard this name before. Is he some kind of upper management figure in Konoha?”

“You could say that. Shimura Danzo is the former head of Anbu Root division.” A pause. “He is also the one who gave me no choice but to kill my clan.” Hell if that’s not enough to stop you in your tracks, nothing was. You had been about to pack up the last few things when you froze and looked up at Itachi’s posture, realizing he wasn’t upset with _you_ , not anymore. This information was enough to drag him right back into past events. “Fuck…I am _so_ sorry, I don’t know how I could’ve forgotten that part.” You’d known about Danzo, but with so much else going on, it wasn’t easy to keep track of every little person and what part they played. Could you have made a serious mistake?  
“It’s long done with.” He said, boxing away his emotions on the subject.  
“Not long enough.” You responded, watching him. “The truth was hidden for a reason. I knew Danzo was involved, but I wasn’t totally sure that he’s still alive. Therefore, my informant may not have told Sasuke either. It’s possible Sasuke won’t believe what he’s learned.” You attempted to gnaw a nail, but it was clipped too short. You bit your thumb instead, practically praying that what information you _did_ send was accurate enough to be persuasive. You’d thank your lucky stars if Sasuke merely stayed out of everything for now on. “So if Danzo’s still around and people are about to start digging for the truth, chances are we are going to arrive in time for this whole thing to explode in broad daylight.” Strangely, that didn’t sound so completely horrific. If anything it seemed too perfect, people could get suspicious. And if this Danzo is every bit as conniving as he sounded, he’d have the potential to turn this all in his favor. You didn’t know what kind of person Itachi was back then, undoubtedly he was still impressionable enough. It still takes a lot to persuade such a loving man to murder his whole family. But if it is all handled correctly, Itachi might be in for a bittersweet homecoming. “So. How did the meet go last night?” 

 

A subject change. You anticipated this would happen, and let it go. “Civilly. They said their bit, and I said mine. We’ll see what comes of it. Offers were made, I think they will look for wiggle room, which is to be expected. They’ve had a taste of freedom, brief as it’s been. I’m thinking that if what they said about Pein is true, then they’ll either take the deal or call it quits and high-tail out of here.”

“What did this ‘deal’ entail?”  
“For Hidan, he can play hitman and torture his marks as long as he wants. I know you don’t like it, but we are bound to make enemies that can’t be left alive. He can practice his religion, and _we_ can reap the benefits. Kakuzu on the other hand is amazing with numbers, and is of better use elsewhere. Though in order to prevent him from trying to fleece us; I offered a hefty cut for bounties and a business contract POTENTIALLY looping him in as treasurer of Eidolon, and possibly working with the Distilleries as well. By comparison Hidan is simpler to handle, he can even have his own little temple for all I care. I’ve had an agent purchasing tracts of land on and off, we’ll sure as hell have the space for whatever’s needed.”

Itachi nodded in the appropriate places, half-listening, but the other part of his mind had fallen away into reverie. He was thinking of the past, of the blood, of the loss. How he wanted to fill the yawning void left by his kin, and the woman he’d want to do that with was all but coming out and saying the word ‘empire’. There was a big part of him that just wanted to resolve the current problems, and not acquire new ones. He’d rather have done with all this stressful crap, and settle down in Konoha when it’s finished. Maybe repair the Uchiha Compound, and see if his brother would come live there again if they were once again on good terms. Megami too, if she wanted. And then, everyone could go about their lives. He was sure he could talk you into having children. Sasuke could hook up with one of his old classmates, and Megami may find someone in such a big city as well. The once-formidable Uchiha Clan could slowly but surely be born anew, almost literally from the ashes of the old one. He wanted to have kids someday, yet had no idea why he couldn’t spit it out. Yet another fraction of his mind wondered if you were capable with your strange body; the prospect that you may be unable saddened him deeply. Itachi felt he owed it to his dead family to carry on the Uchiha legacy now that he was to live. There are two sons and one female who have this blood running through their veins. As such, there’s nothing saying the Uchiha line has to fade to nothing.

But then, of course, what of _your_ family? Was re-opening the Distillery your contribution to family legacy? You’ve promised to help him save the Land of Fire, wouldn’t it only be fair that he assists you with your own campaign?

“—Hey. Hey. HEY.” He jolted out of his dreamlike state to the sensation of being jabbed in the shoulder several times. You lifted both eyebrows when he looked at you, and then sighed. “You dreamin’ on me? Didn’t you do enough of that last night?”

“Thinking of the future.” He said, ignoring your pale attempt at humor. “What might come of all this.”

“Nothing’s really certain, right? Don’t stress over it too much. Come what may, we’ll figure it out.”

“No, not that.” He said, looking up from the table and into your eyes. You could see how troubled he was, how melancholy. “ _After._ When all is said and done.”

You were puzzled. “What, you mean retirement or something? Quit the life, settle down, play house, pop out a few kids?” You were prepared to chuckle, but faltered upon realizing he wasn’t joking and objected to none of these things. Deflating from your amusement, you tilted your head, studying his face. “Kids? Really?” You weren’t sure if you had this conversation before. And he wasn’t joking. Itachi himself was thinking how coincidental it is, to think on it for but a couple minutes and then abruptly the topic arises without mentioning it directly himself.

“All of that.” 

You leaned back into the sofa cushions and he did as well, keeping his face level with yours. Waiting for some kind of meaningful response, presumably. “Have to admit that’s a lot to digest. Before leaving the Grass, I had thought of having children someday, but never knew when that day would come so I never focused on it.” You gave pause, a mite perplexed. “I believe I’m still capable of becoming pregnant, even though I’ve died many times. I’ve stopped purposefully ingesting poison for a while now, all traces of it would have passed from my system…” You realized that this was half-drivel, and he was waiting for the part he really needed to hear. Perhaps the same part you needed to say aloud to believe yourself. “If I were ever to start a family with anyone, it’d definitely be with you.” You blinked, eyes unintentionally large. “We’ve certainly practiced enough.” Yeah, that interrupted the soft mood. His expression told you as much, he all but rolled his eyes. “And you’ve clearly hit your limit for seriousness.”

“I AM being serious. We have a lot to accomplish between now and then, though. Let’s not be too far-sighted.”

“Still helps to have a future to look forward to.” To this, you nodded, keeping eye contact and dropping all sad attempts at humor. “Know what, Itachi? When we first met, you were ice cold. That guy didn’t seem like the marrying type. Sure as hell not the man you bring home to mama.” Now came his turn to tilt an eyebrow. It looked ironically adorable when he did this, perhaps because he rarely adopted such expressions. Some days, Itachi reminded you of a person slowly coming back to life after having been frozen solid. Certain parts thaw out quicker than others. What felt like a decade ago, he spoke with such rigidity. Now he was relaxed, more human, acted different from the teflon man you met in the forest. 

“You don’t want to keep the Gyaku line going, do you?”

You turned your face away from him, towards the window, staring out. Your fingers bit into the couch cushions on either side of your lap. Why the fuck did this conversation have to happen _at all?_ You killed your family completely of your own will, unlike him. “Had you asked me this question a while ago; I’d say ‘hell no’. But that’s not completely my choice. Tatsuo is half Gyaku, half Hyuuga. I may have a couple other relatives floating around from my father’s side. Unless a male cousin survived, Tatsuo is the only one who can carry on the name if he chooses. Of course, there’s a high probability he could be killed in captivity.”

Itachi listened to your detached tone, how you didn’t seem to care one way or another if the Gyaku name managed to survive. “So are having children something you really don’t want to do?” He asked, and you looked back up at him. “Itachi, you’re the only man I’ll be happy with for the rest of my life, and the only one I’d ever have kids with. I’m not saying that lightly, trust me. I’ve gone out with others, but it never got as serious as we are” You hoped that didn’t come out wrong to his ears, and blundered ahead. “Understand I never wanted them personally, because my family put such a premium on my usefulness as a child bearer. They tried to use me to solidify alliances, but it always fell through. That last time was as close as it ever got. I always grew up believing that any brats I’d have weren’t by my personal choice, but by force. _This_ is different. This is a decision that I’m making because I love you, despite that this would not happen for a long time. I refuse to bring life into this particular world. Once things have settled down enough, when we don’t need to look over our shoulders anymore…then, and _only_ then.”

He thought on it, but agreed nevertheless. This isn’t the sort of world he wanted to start a family in, either. It is an unsafe world, overflowing with strife and malice. Your one demand was extremely fair. “No, this is not the world I want to start a family in either.” He smiled slightly, almost awkwardly. “So you wouldn’t have brought me home to meet your mother?”

You stared at him, trying to figure out whether or not he was serious or joking, then cracked a smile of your own. “I would’ve been doing you a favor! You wouldn’t have liked her; she was a shallow bitch. Though if you popped over to ask for my hand in marriage, my father would’ve jumped all over it. You come from one of the most well-known families _anywhere_.”

The word ‘marriage’. He took notice but said nothing. Way he saw it; this was normal for women to think of marriage when speaking of kids. Most tend to, as in an ideal situation it also provides stability. But these days more and more don’t bother with that. He wasn’t totally sure how he felt about the concept himself, but it _does_ go right alongside his hopes for the future. 

“That’s neither here nor there.” He said. This conversation was bound to happen eventually, however, it reared its head at the least expected moment. Itachi was nevertheless glad it was out of the way, and so were you. Neither of you are ready for such commitments, but it doesn’t hurt to lay thoughts out in the open. Talking about it doesn’t make it so, all it means is that you both know how to prioritize.  
“Right, it’s not!” You agreed, most enthusiastically. “Let’s get going though, I don’t trust Hidan and Kakuzu yet. If they changed their minds, they could report our whereabouts. Tatsuo requested that we hold off as long as possible though, I’m not positive how comfortable I am with wasting _too_ much time. He’s acting cool or something, but he’s sticking his neck out at the same time. Sooner or later that kind of behavior is likely to get his head chopped off.”

“We can take another way around to Konoha then, it’ll take a couple extra hours. There are also a few good places to lose a tail along the way, should we need it.”  
“Sounds like a happy medium to me. Let’s go.” Between lollygagging all day and arriving top speed was the middle ground of dragging travel out by a few hours. This way the right people in Konoha had a chance to blunder around in the dark for the truth, should they decide to. That is to say, _Sai_ would have a chance. Sai, the pasty-faced artist you thought was long dead. When your ghost abilities were unsealed, you shoved your hand into his chest and grabbed his heart, but apparently didn’t crush it beyond repair. Unless it was an elaborate clone. Perhaps it was a good thing that you didn’t kill him, if he managed to inform Tsunade. But as you changed and then headed out, you kept the following thought to yourself:

_’What if Tsunade and her closest advisors already know, and no one has any intention of doing anything about it?’_

You flashed a grateful smile at Itachi when he held a glass door open for you, shouldered your pack, and crossed the threshold to the outdoors; stepping out onto rain-pattered pavement and surveying the street spanning side to side in front of this hotel. You smile was gone soon as it lived, quite as quickly as it took to look forward and shift away from the doors. Thoughts turned grim as rain: Itachi undoubtedly harbored no illusions that his name would be cleared and he’d be allowed to go home again someday. He was trying to be optimistic, but optimism isn’t really his thing. It’s not exactly yours, either.

You _are_ , however, an opportunist. And if there’s an opportunity to be had, you’d grab on to it. 

 

_Elsewhere…_

 

Hidan entered the tiny dilapidated house, with a smear of blood shining on his exposed chest. His silver chain had a few beads colored with blood as well as the Jashin charm. Evidence that he’d been praying or preying, as it were. There were plenty of lost souls out here and he sent a few of them to the afterlife as painfully as possible while Kakuzu weighed options; holed up in what Hi had come to think of as, ‘The Crack Shack’. Hidan was never one to exhibit patience unless it was for a ritual, though. He still wasn’t as impatient as Sasori.

“So?” He asked the other, who was perusing a local newspaper where a shaft of light slipped between broken beams in the roof. Kakuzu looked up, and folded the paper. It was useless, there were no good signs in the news today. Stocks were total shit right now, and there were likewise no signs of fugitives worth catching. Money, it seemed, was harder to come by these days. With war bearing down on the world as they knew it, Kakuzu found himself more and more at a disadvantage as Akatsuki’s treasurer. This only made a recent offer more attractive. “Still thinking.” Kakuzu answered. When Hidan moved past him to pull his black and red cloak off, dust arose from creaking boards and the musty aroma was suffused with the scent of fresh blood. Kakuzu watched Hidan stand in front of a cloudy mirror, and pour water from a canteen onto a gray rag. He started wiping red stains away.

“What the fuck is there to think about?” Hi asked after a moment. “I say we do it.”

“Her offer, you mean?” Kakuzu’s whiteless eyes caught a flicker of movement. There was a street urchin peeping from between worn siding boards, able to see straight through and probably hear them as well. Out of context, their conversation might sound quite dirty, particularly with one of them half naked. Kakuzu had no interest in screwing Hidan, nor did he want anyone to spread rumors that he would. 

“Well yeah, what else are we talking about?” Continuing to be clueless, Hidan glared over his shoulder and then moistened a dry spot of the rag. He continued to wipe away crimson stains, glancing up occasionally at his distorted reflection in the smeared mirror. “So?” He repeated. “I’m sick of only getting to do what I want when nobody’s looking. That bastard Nagato is fucking you _just_ as hard. Why’s this even a question, seriously?”

“You don’t suppose it seems too good be true, Hidan?” Kakuzu asked a hair reproachfully.  
“Hell no.” Said Hi. “And if she tries to fuck us over, we can do worse to her.”

Kakuzu thought about it. Hidan was only partially right, it’s not as easy to kill that woman as he was making it out to be. In all actuality, no one was completely sure _how_ to in the first place, except for Pein. And after what happened, he wanted her brought in alive. Most likely to reserve the privilege of her murder for himself.  
But then, he was really quite done with obeying Pein. The leash was being pulled shorter and tighter. They ran more missions with vast risks and minimum rewards. None of them were happy with things as they stood, and Saiya’s got a way better offer going now. Then again, they could always go their own ways. Kakuzu would be content to be rid of any partners at all. But she didn’t say they would need to work together. Did this mean he would be able to work primarily on his own, AND make money hand over fist? Though oddly, he was so used to Hidan being around, he almost wouldn’t mind if they did keep on one team.

Kakuzu looked up as Hidan moistened a palm and smoothed his fingers across his scalp, slicking pale hair back in one motion. He turned, towel-rag over his shoulder, and frowned at Kakuzu who had arisen from his seat on a crate. “We should return to Amegakure first. I have a few things I need.” He rumbled, and Hidan snapped the towel off his shoulder, reaching now for his cloak. “Tch, whatever. Guess I will too.”

And so they would leave, with the child spy running away as fast as her skinny legs could carry her; before they decided that her head should part company with its neck.

 

_With You…_

Sure enough, Itachi’s suspicions were correct. Somebody tailed you out of town, and well into the forest. Itachi knew his way around here by heart and you both easily lost the pursuer, but you had to wonder who it was in the first place. One way or another, you wanted to make good on your promise not to arrive dragging enemies behind you. And it took about five hours before Konoha itself was in sight. Right now you were outside of ‘Tent Town’, the refugee outpost that only got larger from the last time you cut through. Konoha City’s walls almost looked taller from here, and maybe they even where…who knows, really, since they didn’t want to let any vagabonds slip in when its possible to avoid it. Right now you were keeping hidden behind a tree with Itachi, thankfully having found a spot out of sight of the masses. You had taken the opportunity to make sure your face was clean and that your hair was neat, also swapping your plain jacket for a black and purple Gyaku hooded duster coat, which went down to your heels. Itachi decided he would stay wearing what he was for now, even deciding to throw on a pair of shades once the sun poked out from behind some clouds. He was able to look a bit more ordinary this way, with sunglasses on and his hood up. The day is a bit cool, with an even more chilly breeze puffing through trees after the rain. You looked at Itachi when he shouldered his pack.

“Nervous?” 

No answer. He only looked at you through dark lenses, an expression you couldn’t translate. His posture didn’t give anything away either. So you closed the distance, hugged and kissed him, all in a bid to soothe any nervousness you couldn’t readily detect. “It’s going to be fine. Trust me. But if you don’t want to go in, I’ll understand.”

“No. I’ll go with you.” He responded, resting his chin on your shoulder, but not taking his hands from his pockets to embrace you in turn. It was like hugging a board. You couldn’t blame him though; this was about to be the moment of truth. 

“How about this,” You rubbed his back, then let go and held his shoulders at arm’s length. “You don’t need to say a word if you don’t want to, I’ll handle everything. We won’t even introduce you until you are ready.” Itachi watched, trying to appreciate the gesture more. He’d come to Konoha before while still pretending to be a villain. He maintained a confident exterior and wasn’t afraid that anything would happen, but he wasn’t going with even the barest fraction of hope that he’d be accepted back. Going to Konoha back then was meant only to get a specific job done. He knew, top to bottom, how the whole situation would play out. This time, he had no such assurances. But Itachi is no coward. Much to your surprise, he shook his head. “Thank you, but I’ll be fine. Let’s do what we came here for.” You smiled, and let go, turning away and heading towards the gate. He’s a big boy, he will be fine, that’s what both of you wanted to believe. Sure he can take care of himself, but you weren’t sure about the ‘fine’ part. Maybe you were worrying for no reason at all.

Right now the gates were open to let some other ninja in, and you followed them through. They paused at the check-in station, where Kotetsu and Izumo were currently seated. They took notes and okayed the ones ahead of you to go in, and you turned your head towards Itachi while they did so. “Do we…uhm… _really_ have to check in here?”

“Yes. They like to keep tabs on which cells enter and exit the city. They’ll be able to send word ahead to the Hokage that we’re here.”  
You sighed, and looked at the two cheery men when the others moved ahead. The blinked up at you both, not exactly recognizing you. You crossed your arms. “We’re here to see the Hokage. She’s expecting us today.” You said, and Kotetsu exchanged glances with Izumo. “Uhhh…was that what that guy said earlier?” He asked, and Izumo nodded, looking back up at you. “So you’re—“

“--Saiya.” You cut him off. “This is the companion I mentioned in my letter earlier. Pay him no mind, for now. All I care to know is whether or not she found my conditions agreeable, before we move any further.”

“Yes.” A familiar voice said, and you saw none other than Kakashi and Yamato approach, Kakashi being the one who spoke. “Lady Tsunade agreed that you both shall have safe passage until negotiations are complete. Of course, Yamato and I must accompany you both while you’re here. And you are also asked not to cause trouble.” 

You almost raised an eyebrow. Both of these men are strong, but only two? That can be seen as either very insulting, or very trusting. Regardless, this had to happen. You weren’t totally pleased with Tatsuo for pulling you into this situation without consulting you first, but might as well make the best of it. “Is Tatsuo well?”

“Yes, he is.” Yamato said. “No harm has come to him.”  
“Good. I’ll take your word for it. Shall we, then?” You said then turned and started walking, Itachi silently striding along beside you. Kakashi and Yamato fell in step as well, both puzzled at why you weren’t already making more demands. They never thought you would be the reasonable type, but either they had misjudged you harshly, or this is a very different woman from the one they first met. Unless, of course, it was as any of them feared: That they were being led on, and taken for fools. Which would be _exactly_ how it was when you first met them. It took some persuading to get several people to agree to this meeting. Took even _more_ to sweet talk certain ones into not ambushing you at the gate. Kakashi was pulling quite hard to get this all to work. After Sai divulged his concerns to Yamato over dinner that other night, Yamato in turn spoke to Kakashi, who acted on what he knew. Kakashi was aware that Naruto no longer had the real Nine Tails Fox within him, but only vestiges of that power which continued to grow. He told Tsunade, but no one else who he could spare informing. That is knowledge which could cause widespread panic, and since the Nine Tails was one of the only things standing between them and getting steamrolled in open war, the Hidden Leaf was now in need of as many powerful allies as they could get. Kakashi was taking a huge gamble but if what he knew was true, you could turn out to be more trustworthy than others. All this to say nothing of the concerns brought on by this 'mystery man' with you. For Kakashi and Yamato as well as a few others, his identity was easily guessed. But it was better not to get into that right now with so much else to worry about already. They'd deal with Itachi when it became necessary to do so, and no sooner. 

Unfortunately, after all you’ve done in the past, it’d be hard to convince many that you don’t need to be an enemy anymore. Kakashi wasn’t totally trusting of you either, though for now he knew Konoha needed to pick its battles. He had to hope that something could be done to facilitate a favorable change, in a world where so much was already going against them. 

The Hokage building loomed up ahead. On the way there, numerous folk caught a glimpse of the mark on your coat and went silent, staring as the group passed. You weren’t here to hide. You were here to make things happen, so there was no sense in pretending you are somebody else. That would be sending the wrong message, and diplomacy is all about making sure that doesn’t happen. Now having found yourself at the forefront of an organization which had become too large to stay completely hidden, it was time to sack up and represent.

And as you stood in front of huge doors, waiting for them to open with the whole of main street silent behind you, you hoped that this wasn’t a grave miscalculation to trust in Tatsuo’s judgement and go along with this plan.


End file.
